National Sports

NEW YORK — The baseball players' union will open its own spring training camp for the first time since the end of the 1994-95 strike, inviting free agents to work out at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

In Jim Crow America, it's no wonder that Jack Johnson was the most despised African-American of his generation.

LONDON — West Bromwich Albion forward Jay Rodriguez was charged by the English Football Association on Thursday with racially abusing an opponent during a Premier League game.

VERNON, N.J. — In the mountains of northwest New Jersey, a group of schoolchildren are doing something they do not have the opportunity to do back home in Newark: ski.

EDMONTON — The Edmonton Eskimos signed Canadian running back Pascal Lochard and American linebacker Korey Jones to contract extensions. Both players were scheduled to become free agents Tuesday.

Philadelphia's first Super Bowl parade worked its way up Broad Street on Thursday as hundreds of thousands of deliriously happy Eagles fans jammed the city's main thoroughfares to celebrate an NFL title many of them never thought they'd see.

OTTAWA — The Ottawa Senators knew Alex Burrows was facing a suspension, but 10 games caught them by surprise.

GANGNEUNG, Korea, Republic Of — John Morris wasn't making any excuses after Canada's disappointing start to the inaugural Olympic mixed doubles curling competition.

GANGNEUNG, Korea, Republic Of — The Pyeongchang Winter Olympics don't officially open until Friday but a couple of Canadians were already in competition mode Thursday.

GANGNEUNG, Korea, Republic Of — Chris Kelly has been named captain of Canada's men's hockey team at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. Kelly is a veteran of 833 games and won a Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins in 2011.