Women's Big XII Tournament for USATSI

in

Almost exactly one year ago I walked into Municipal Auditorium and picked up my credential for the 2020 Women’s Big 12 Basketball Tournament, set to start the following evening. The men’s tournament had kicked off that day just a few blocks away. Little did I know, within 12 hours the sports world would come to a screeching halt due to COVID-19.

It felt a little surreal to be back in that auditorium this year, finally working the event after a year that changed so many of us. There were COVID protocols in place, meaning fewer fans and decreased access, but it felt like a victory to be there at all.

Of course the Baylor Lady Bears dominated the tournament, as they have every year since 2011.

Here are some of my favorite images from the four days downtown, shot for USA Today Sports Images:

2020 MLB Season

in

What a season.

Zero fans. Countless COVID tests. Old favorite faces. New friendships.

It was weird and great and unforgettable.

I’ve got to thank the gang at MLB for having me back for a second year as an LCC (Live Content Creator). Kaycie, Jake, and Lucas: you guys did so much to make this season as normal and problem-free as possible despite the circumstances and I cannot applaud you enough.

I’m also thankful for Royals videographer Sam Lutz for keeping me sane as the only other media member on the field this season, and for the Royals organization for trusting in me to be around their players and on the field during a global pandemic.

If you’re interested reading about my experience photographing professional sports in 2020, I did an interview with Ticketmaster that you can read HERE.

Otherwise, I’ll just let my favorite images from this year do the talking:

Alex Gordon Retirement

in

I can’t believe the 2020 MLB regular season is already over, but before I do my roundup of favorite images, I wanted to pay tribute to one of the Royal Greats, Alex Gordon. Gordo announced his retirement from the major leagues last week and the outpouring of love from players and the community is a testament to his dedication and leadership. He will be missed dearly, but I hope he enjoys that retirement pizza!

Fittingly, the Royals rolled out the red carpet for him for his last home series.

My favorite moments from his farewell:

Salute to the Negro Leagues

in

Kansas City has a lot of small treasures that didn’t know about prior to moving here, one of which being the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in the 18th and Vine District. This year they’re celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Negro Leagues. As part of that celebration, the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals wore throwback Negro League uniforms on Tuesday. Whew, they were fresh.