Monday’s Sports

Coach Willie Williams

MLB

Just 0.7% of Major League Baseball employees tested positive for antibodies to COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus. The small number of positive tests, announced Sunday, was positive news for a sport pushing ahead with plans to start its delayed season. Researchers received 6,237 completed surveys from employees of 26 clubs. That led to 5,754 samples obtained in the U.S. on April 14 and 15, and they used 5,603 records. The survey kit had a 0.5% false-positive rate.

TENNIS

The French Open tennis tournament could be held without fans later this year, the president of the French Tennis Federation said on Sunday. The clay-court tournament at Roland Garros was initially slated to be held May 24-June 7, but was postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic and rescheduled for Sept. 20-Oct. 4. A French newspaper learned that organizers are considering the prospect it might need to go ahead without fans present. It could even start one week later.

SOCCER

U.S. national soccer team star Alex Morgan has become a mom just in time for Mother’s Day. Morgan announced Saturday on social media that she gave birth to daughter Charlie Elena Carrasco at 11:30 a.m. Thursday. Charlie weighed 8 pounds, 5 ounces.

HIGH SCHOOL

Jonny Louvier, Spring Hill ISD’s athletic director, and head football coach, has stepped down from the program. In his last season, Spring Hill finished the year 6-6, making it to the playoffs for the first time since 2007. A Facebook post from the district announced the news Friday morning. The post stated that Associate Head Coach Weston Griffis would be the interim athletic director moving forward.

Rivercrest Rebel Cole Carson, as a junior, has recently committed to play for the University of Arkansas.

It was a day of mourning but also of remembering in Axtell on Saturday (May 9) as students, faculty, and friends gathered to celebrate the life of head baseball coach Cameron Bankston. He tragically died Thursday night in a single-vehicle crash in Huckaby. He was 32.

MPISD

Mt Pleasant ISD’s website states, “MPISD is deeply saddened at the loss of one of our greatest supporters, Mr. Willie Williams. It is a loss that will be felt throughout the entire Mount Pleasant community. Mr. Williams, thank you for your unwavering support. You touched countless students’ lives, and your legacy will live on through them.” Coach Williams worked for East Texas Broadcasting and was an avid supporter of Mt Pleasant’s sports, and the school district named the gym in his honor on the high school campus. Coach Williams died in Longview’s hospital Sunday around 2:00 pm. We extend our deepest sympathies to the Williams family, who says the services are pending for Willie Williams. He was 85.

(photo borrowed from the Region 8 website where he served on the Board of Directors www.reg8.net)