World Series

12 reasons why the Orioles might actually win the World Series ... You read that right. There's no guarantee, of course. But there's reason to believe Orioles magic can continue through October. View the photo gallery

Forty-six years later, the photograph still gives people goose bumps. There's Dave McNally, Baltimore's "other" No. 19, the triumphant pitcher whose grin is as wide as his native Montana. And Andy Etchebarren, the catcher who's poised to embrace him, mask still on and mitt in hand. And there, on the left, is a jubilant Brooks Robinson, or at least a chunk of him: the Orioles' third baseman is airborne and looks as if he parachuted into Memorial Stadium. Why? The Birds had just swept the 1966 World Series in four straight games.

Golf Hutsell fades, ties for 16th at MAPGA Pro Championship Faber Jamerson of Appomattox, Va., shot a 2-under-par 69 in the final round at Kingsmill Resort's River course to win the Middle Atlantic PGA Professional Championship in Williamsburg, Va. David Hutsell , PGA director of instruction at The Elkridge Club and the defending champion in the event, finished tied for 16th after entering the final round tied for the lead....

Though its chances of making it out of pool play at the Cal Ripken World Series faded a few days ago, the Harford County squad from Forest Hill did not lie down in its final game of the tournament Tuesday afternoon, handing the Midwest Plains squad of Lamar, Colo., a 5-1 defeat. Playing as the visiting side at Fenway Park, Harford County (1-3) scored three times in the top of the first, with Jordan Wax starting things by doubling in Nicholas Sulzbach. Wax then scored on a single by Sean D'Adamo, while D'Adamo scored on a single by Jake Johnson.

In national pool play Sunday at the Cal Ripken Major/70 World Series in Aberdeen, the Southeast team from Jupiter, Fla., topped the Harford County squad, 10-6, at Cal Sr.'s Yard. Reese Albert led Jupiter's offense, going 1-for-4 with a three-run double. Pitcher Sean Maletzke went three innings for the win. He struck out five, walked three and allowed two earned runs on two hits. Jake Johnson had a team-best two RBIs for the Harford County team from Forest Hill, while Logan Barnes went 1-for-4 with one RBI in the loss.

The rain held off, and the heat kicked down 10 degrees or so Friday evening, giving everyone at the Ripken Baseball Complex a chance to enjoy the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Cal Ripken 12U Major 70 World Series, a nine-day, international tournament that has been held in Aberdeen for the past 10 years. Beginning at 5 p.m. Friday, the 16 teams taking part in this year's competition paraded onto the field at Cal Sr.'s Yard and were introduced. The team closest to home was Harford County's championship squad, while the International Division's Australian team had traveled more than 10,000 miles to play.

Major Indoor Soccer League Blast to hold four open tryouts in September The Blast of the Major Indoor Soccer League will hold open tryouts in September at the team's training facility, Du Burns Arena. The tryouts will be Sept. 8 and 9 and Sept. 15 and 16 from 9 a.m. to noon and are open to male soccer players ages 18 years and older. College players with remaining eligibility are not permitted in the tryout as per NCAA rules and regulations. Current professional players must have a letter of release from their current club in order to participate.

Greg Merson is eight players away from a win at poker's biggest event and a prize of more than $8.5 million. The 24-year-old originally from Maryland reached the World Series of Poker main event's nine-player final table. He's in third place with 28,725,000 chips, trailing leader Jesse Sylvia by 15,150,000. The players will break until Oct. 28, when they will play the remainder of the tournament. Merson took home more than $1 million dollars after winning Event 57 of the World Series two weeks ago and is the only bracelet-winner at the final table.

La Russa had big role Phil Rogers Chicago Tribune Given that neither the Rangers nor Cardinals play in Minnesota's Metrodome, home-field advantage wasn't that crucial in the 2011 World Series. The Cardinals didn't win because they got to play the last two games at Busch Stadium, although lots of people in Texas think that (and the Rangers' 1-5 record in road games the last two Series would seem to support that). St. Louis got its World Series parade because Tony La Russa outmanaged Ron Washington, and La Russa's players were incredibly clutch.

Angels, Rangers in ALCS Mike DiGiovanna Los Angeles Times The top four teams in the American League are, in no particular order, the Yankees, Tigers, Rangers and Angels, and I would be stunned if all four, under the new five-team playoff format, didn't reach the postseason. The final spot will come down to the Red Sox and Rays. The axis of power in the league is shifting from the Northeast (New York-Boston) to the West, so I like the Angels and Rangers to reach the championship series.