Screen Shots: August 14th-20th, 2025

The Cannon Street YMCA All-Stars, A'ja being A'ja, and breakfast soccer!

Welcome to Screen Shots! This is where I tell you what sporting events you should watch on TV every week! Make sure you subscribe so it comes straight to your inbox! Have your own suggestions? Shoot me an email at [email protected]!

Still on hiatus as I navigate the early stages of fatherhood, but I should make my return soon! Find me on TikTok for some bite-sized takes between diaper changes! Now, to the sports!

Thursday, August 14th, 2025

  • Little League World Series: Coverage begins at 1:00 pm (ET) on ESPN

The team from Irmo, SC, plays at 3:00 pm. They become just the fourth team ever from South Carolina to make the LLWS. You cannot tell their story without telling the story of the Cannon Street YMCA All-Stars.

Back in 1955, the Cannon Street YMCA All-Stars, an all-Black team from my hometown of Charleston, sought to integrate their city’s traditionally whites-only Little League tournament. White people typically welcome such change with open arms, so it was a breeze. HAHA! Just kidding. Cannon Street was named the tournament champions after the other teams refused to play them.

White people kept their racism streak intact with a boycott of the state tournament as well, earning Cannon Street a trip to Williamsport. Unfortunately, they were unable to participate due to Little League Baseball upholding a rule that refused to acknowledge champions who advanced by forfeit because leadership didn’t have an ounce of the courage these children displayed throughout this entire ordeal.

Instead, they were invited to attend as guests, and the community rallied together to raise funds to allow them to make the trip. While in Williamsport, the Cannon Street All-Stars did get to practice on the main field before the title game. Spectators, who were impressed by both their skill and the passion for the game, chanted “Let them play!” However, nobody did.

In typical Charleston fashion, you are more likely to come across positive remembrances of the oppression than you are of the Cannon Street All-Stars. The state Little League president at the time resigned after not being allowed to hold a separate, segregated tournament and started a new youth baseball organization. Many Lowcountry children have participated in athletics at the recreational complex bearing his name, Danny Jones. The organization that he founded, Dixie Youth Baseball, is still the predominant youth baseball program in the area. Meanwhile, I grew up 5 miles from where the Cannon Street All-Stars practiced without ever hearing their story. Here’s a more in-depth look at what they endured.

  • MLB: Arizona Diamondbacks @ Colorado Rockies at 8:40 pm (ET) on FS1

A blistering (for them) 2nd half means that the Rockies are going to need some help to eclipse last year’s Chicago White Sox as the worst team in MLB history. Enter the Diamondbacks. Colorado has won just 2 of their 10 matchups with Arizona this season. They’re currently a fraction of a percent behind the White Sox’s pace. Laying an egg against their NL West foe could be just the boost they need to pull it off.

Friday, August 15th, 2025

  • Little League World Series: Coverage begins at 1:00 pm (ET) on ESPN

Gary Sheffield played in the LLWS.

  • WNBA: Washington Mystics @ Indiana Fever at 7:30 pm (ET) on ION

Many expected Indiana to collapse when Caitlin Clark went down, but Kelsey Mitchell has not let them skip a beat. According to me, she’s currently 5th in the MVP race as we enter the final quarter of the season. With no timetable for Clark’s return, a rise in playoff seeding should equal more votes for Mitchell. With the Mystics wisely making moves to prioritize their future, this will be an opportunity for another big game for her and a bounce-back opportunity for the Fever after a tough 1-point loss to the Wings.

Saturday, August 16th, 2025

  • English Premier League: Newcastle @ Aston Villa at 7:30 am (ET) on USA Network

The older I’ve gotten, the more I’ve grown to appreciate sporting events that come on as early as possible. It won’t get much earlier than English Premier League soccer. As an intermittent EPL fan, I couldn’t tell you the first thing about either club. This is the rare instance where that doesn’t matter. Get your coffee, get your breakfast, get your newborn’s mouth on his mom’s boob so he doesn’t cry, and watch the only sporting event on TV at this time.

  • Little League World Series: Coverage begins at 1:00 pm (ET) on ESPN

Derek Bell played in the LLWS on the same team as Gary Sheffield.

  • NWSL: Orlando Pride @ Kansas City Current at 4:00 pm (ET) on CBS

We’re doing a soccer thing today. These are the top 2 clubs in the NWSL. If you’ve been a reader for some time now, you know the Pride are the defending champions. However, they have quite a ways to go to catch the first-place Current. It turns out that scoring the most goals and allowing the fewest is the recipe for success! Kansas City is currently on an 8-match win streak. I’m not sure if anybody can stop them, but Orlando has the best chance.

Sunday, August 17th, 2025

  • MLB: Philadelphia Phillies @ Washington Nationals at 11:35 am (ET) on Roku

I’ve written about Kyle Schwarber before, but the man just won’t stop. He’s currently tied for the NL lead in homers with Shohei and the outright leader in RBIs. He’s within striking distance of 60 home runs! Not that he needs much help, but the Nationals give up the 2nd-most runs in the majors.

  • Little League World Series: Coverage begins at 1:00 pm (ET) on ESPN

Lastings Milledge played in the LLWS.

  • MLB: Seattle Mariners @ New York Mets at 7:10 pm (ET) on ESPN

The Little League Classic! Cal Raleigh and Juan Soto square off at Historic Bowman Field in Williamsport, Pennsylvania!

Monday, August 18th, 2025

  • Little League World Series: Coverage begins at 1:00 pm (ET) on ESPN

Ruben Tejada played in the LLWS.

  • NFL: Cincinnati Bengals @ Washington Commanders at 8:00 pm (ET) on ESPN

It’s still preseason, but Monday Night Football is Monday Night Football. Burrow and Chase picked up right where they left off in game 1. Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin didn’t play in the Commanders’ first preseason game. In fact, if they don’t pay McLaurin, there’s no telling when or if we’ll see him. I thought Daniel Snyder didn’t own them anymore?

Tuesday, August 19th, 2025

  • Little League World Series: Coverage begins at 1:00 pm (ET) on ESPN

I hate Jurickson Profar, but he played in the LLWS.

  • WNBA: Atlanta Dream @ Las Vegas Aces at 10:00 pm (ET) on NBA TV

As awful as this season has been for the Aces, they somehow still have a shot at a top-4 seed. And by “somehow,” I mean “A’ja Wilson.” She has not been mentioned in MVP conversations because of Vegas’ struggles, but she is still very much the best player in the world. Since leaving the July 8th loss against the Liberty with a wrist injury, Wilson has averaged 24 points, 11 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while leading the Aces to a 9-3 record. Speaking of records, she also recorded the first-ever 30-point, 20-rebound game in WNBA history. Not bad!

Wednesday, August 20th, 2025

  • Little League World Series: Coverage begins at 1:00 pm (ET) on ESPN

Christian Bethancourt played in the LLWS.

  • On This Day In Sports History: In 2008, Usain Bolt won the 200m to complete the 100m/200m sweep at the Beijing Olympics

I’m staring at this screen, trying to describe exactly what it was like watching Usain Bolt take over the track and field world. I imagine it’s something similar to seeing a literal lightning bolt for the first time. Bolt was a known contender heading into the 2008 Olympics, but if anybody tells you that they expected the performance he dropped on the world’s head, they are lying.

A 100m world record set while celebrating the final 20m. And then this, a 200m that broke Michael Johnson’s world record set at the first Olympic Games I watched 12 years prior, which also made Bolt the first male sprinter to double in the 100m and 200m at the Olympics since Carl Lewis in 1984.

What’s even wilder is that it was just the beginning. Bolt would go on to lower each world record time, both of which still stand today. He pulled off the 100m/200m Olympic double two more times. He did all of this with a charisma that today’s athletes are still trying (and failing) to replicate. Didn’t matter what country you were from, we were all tuned in. And I still cannot believe I got to watch all of it.

As always, thank you for reading! Make sure you’re subscribed so you get this in your inbox first thing Thursday mornings! I’ll catch you next week!