SAN FRANCISCO – A block north of Willie Mays Plaza, where fans paid their respects to a deceased Giants legend this week, a second bronze statue had been transformed right into a makeshift memorial when the gates to Oracle Park opened Saturday afternoon.

After learning of Orlando Cepeda's death on the age of 86 on Friday night, admirers of the trailblazing Puerto Rican slugger nicknamed “Baby Bull” began decorating his towering effigy on the corner of Second and King streets with bouquets of flowers, handwritten messages and pictures.

“What a punch in the gut,” said manager Bob Melvin. “The fact that he's so close to Willie is just mind-blowing.”

In the Giants' dugout, they displayed Cepeda's No. 30 jersey and every player wore his name and number on a patch on the left sleeve of his jersey. It was the one space available for the commemorative patch, as there was already one honoring Mays on the left chest of every jersey.

“It's been a tough month for the Giants, losing such special guys,” said starting pitcher Logan Webb, who was in the identical position he was in last Tuesday when he learned of May's death and was on his option to the mound to start out the sixth inning.

An image of Cepeda appeared on the middle field scoreboard, and the 40,052 fans watching the Giants' series opener against the Dodgers in a sold-out stadium responded with a moment of silence. Webb and lots of other players on the sector paused and removed their caps.

The emotions on the sector paled compared to those three floors above, within the Spanish-language radio booth, where Cepeda was an everyday guest. Cepeda, once a roommate of two of the Giants' only Latin American players, got here to Tito Fuentes's booth three or 4 times per week, broadcast partner Erwin Higueros said.

Higueros was informed about half-hour before the Giants made the general public announcement and had the sense to attend until the published was over, then informed Fuentes just before the remaining of Oracle Park came upon.

“I've never seen a man cry so much,” Higueros said. “They were like brothers. Like brothers. Orlando was still teasing Tito and Tito wasn't responding. It was that kind of respect, even in old age. It was a kind of brotherly relationship, so he obviously took it very hard yesterday.”

When Fuentes was called as much as the Giants midseason in 1965 as a 21-year-old from Havana, Cuba, he knew he had a powerful ally on his side. Cepeda, already an eight-time All-Star, Rookie of the Year winner and MVP finalist, first met Fuentes a yr earlier at winter ball in Puerto Rico and lobbied for him to be added to the roster that spring, a suggestion that got here true a couple of months later.

Fuentes was called up in August and placed with Cepeda, who showed him around the town. It was the start of a lifelong friendship. At a time when players were still discriminated against based on the colour of their skin, Cepeda also helped the young Fuentes overcome language and cultural barriers.

“He couldn't teach you how to hit. But he could teach you how to behave off the field,” Fuentes said. Cepeda showed him the restaurants that welcomed black customers – and at all times paid the bill – introduced him to salsa music and taught him how you can dress.

“Back then, blacks and whites weren't allowed to eat together. So we had to go to black restaurants that he knew. Of course, he usually paid because he was making money.”

Cepeda's groundbreaking profession didn’t end along with his time as a player, as he also gave Higueros words of wisdom when he joined the Giants in 1998.

he told him.

“That's one of the things he told me and one of the things I still remember,” Higueros said.

Fuentes remembers the day Cepeda was sold to St. Louis – Mother’s Day 1966 – and he cried then, too.

“He hugged me and said, 'Roommate, I have to go. They traded me,'” Fuentes said.

Needing to make room for one more up-and-coming first baseman named Willie McCovey, the team sent Cepeda to the Cardinals in some of the regrettable transactions in franchise history. Before knee problems ended his profession, Cepeda was named MVP for the Cardinals in 1967.

Cepeda's profession lasted one other eight seasons and took him from St. Louis to Atlanta to Oakland to Boston to Kansas City. But his legacy at all times remained in San Francisco, where he became a community ambassador in retirement and where his statue has stood since 2008.

“Ever since he retired, he considered himself a Giant and he was here,” Melvin said. “Just such a great personality. I didn't get to be around him as much as I did Willie, but I know the impact he had in San Francisco growing up and watching him play.”

Cepeda's connection to San Francisco was never more evident than during his frequent visits to Fuentes.

“He came into the locker room and just talked about baseball. He wasn't expecting to be interviewed,” Higueros said. “He just wanted to come in and hang out with his roommate. It was just a pleasure to hear them talk about the old days and joke around.”

He won at Arnold Palmer. He won at the house of the PGA Tour. He won in Augusta and per week later in Hilton Head.

Scottie Scheffler was already one of the best golfer on this planet, but on Sunday he prolonged his lead even further with a win on the Memorial Tournament – Jack Nicklaus's premier event – for his fifth victory in eight tournaments.

On the difficult Muirfield Village course, where only five players played under par on Sunday, Scheffler fended off runs from Collin Morikawa and Adam Hadwin, shooting 74 in the ultimate round and beating Morikawa by one stroke.

With this victory, Scheffler becomes the primary golfer since Justin Thomas in 2017 to win five PGA Tour events in a single season. And we're only in June, with two majors and the FedEx Cup Playoffs left. And all five wins have come at signature events: the Masters, the Players Championship, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the RBC Heritage and now the Memorial.

Scheffler began Sunday with a four-stroke lead over Morikawa and the remaining of the sector. With the course so fast and hard, Scheffler played the primary nine holes over par while Canadian Hadwin did all the things he could to get inside one shot.

Morikawa also stayed inside one stroke for a lot of the back nine, but while much of the sector fell behind, Scheffler remained regular. Despite missing seven of his first 11 fairways on Sunday, he shot par for eight consecutive holes and never relinquished the lead.

Scheffler even made a bogey on the seventeenth hole, giving Morikawa the chance to tie on the 18th. Scheffler's approach shot then bounced hard off the green and landed within the rough, but Morikawa landed in the identical rough behind the pin.

To win, Scheffler needed to sink a 5-foot putt to make par, and with an emotional fist pump he secured the win.

Big win. Big fist pump.

pic.twitter.com/Q6jydEACll

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 9, 2024

The close result means one other tough second-place finish for Morikawa, the two-time major winner who has had his best season since his 2021 campaign but has fallen several times. He was in the ultimate rating at each the Masters and PGA Championship this spring, but was seven and 6 strokes behind the winner in each, respectively.

He also competed within the RBC Heritage on Sunday, two meters behind Scheffler, but finished six meters behind.

Scheffler is currently a 3-1 favorite at next week's US Open in Pinehurst and is on target to change into the game's biggest favorite since Tiger Woods' heyday in 2010.

Required reading

The wives of French President Emmanuel Macron and King Charles III experienced an embarrassing moment on Thursday after they visited the D-Day memorial in Normandy, France.

After laying wreaths at the bottom of the memorial to commemorate the eightieth anniversary of D-Day, Brigitte Macron might be seen repeatedly and unsuccessfully reaching for Queen Camilla's hand as they each backed away from the memorial. reported the Daily Mail.

Macron can have wanted the 2 women to hitch hands in a solemn moment to indicate their unity. They were among the many heads of state and dignitaries who paid homage to the Allied forces of World War II who stormed the beaches of Normandy and risked their lives in a surprise invasion that ultimately led to the liberation of Nazi-occupied Europe and the top of the war just over a yr later.

But Camilla's silent rejection of Macron's hand-holding made it clear that the French president's wife mistakenly assumed an affection between her and the British king's wife that she didn’t share.

It may be because Macron comes from a culture where individuals are considered tactile and like to indicate their affection to others through physical contact. The British, then again, are known for his or her reserved nature. This is particularly true of the British royal family.

The Daily Mail reported that Macron's try to hold Camilla's hand – nevertheless well-intentioned – might be a breach of protocol. “Coming into contact with members of the royal family is always a sensitive subject,” the Daily Mail said.

According to the royal family website, there are “no mandatory rules of conduct” when meeting the Queen or some other member of the royal family, but there may be an unwritten rule that one shouldn’t transcend a handshake. Perhaps there may be also a problem with Macron not wearing gloves while Camilla's gloves were covered. The Daily Beast said The most appropriate thing to do is often to attend until the Royal makes contact.

Unfortunately, Macron didn't get the hint straight away, because Camilla kept her hands firmly at her sides, making it clear that she had no intention of constructing physical contact. But Macron persistently reached for Camilla's hand. Camilla, in turn, resisted and kept her hands at her sides, so Macron finally got the message. She gave Camilla's hand a lightweight squeeze after which let go, and the 2 women stood awkwardly next to one another, heads bowed, not touching.

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden marked Memorial Day with a promise that the country will proceed the work of the nation's fallen toward a more perfect union “for which they lived and for which they died.”

At a solemn memorial ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, Biden said each generation must be certain that the sacrifice of the country's soldiers was not in vain.

“Freedom was never guaranteed,” Biden said under gray skies within the memorial's amphitheater. “Every generation must earn it, fight for it, defend it in the struggle between autocracy and democracy, between the greed of the few and the rights of the many.”

He added: “On this day, we have come together again to reflect, to remember and, above all, to recommit ourselves to the future they fought for, a future based on freedom, democracy, opportunity and equality. Not just for some, but for all.”

Before the ceremony began, Biden, together with Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, laid a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

In his address, Biden mentioned the anniversary of the death of his son Beau this week. Beau served in Iraq and later died of brain cancer, which the president attributed to his time spent near toxic burn pits, and wanted to emphasise the importance of honoring the service of those that got here home injured, along with those that died.

Biden began the day with a breakfast on the White House for presidency officials, military leaders, veterans and members of the Gold Star family.

Cinema halls are looking increasingly like a desert this summer. Neither “ Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga ” still ” The Garfield Movie “ could save the Memorial Day weekend, which is heading for a two-decade low.

” Angry,” the Mad Max prequel starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth, took first place for the Friday-Saturday-Sunday weekend with $25.6 million, based on studio estimates Sunday. Warner Bros. is waiting until Monday to release its estimates for the subsequent 4 days.

Family-friendly animation “The Garfield Movie” was the other big new offering this weekend from Sony's Columbia Pictures and Alcon Entertainment. With an estimated $31.9 million in ticket sales through Memorial Day, it is the No. 1 film of the four-day holiday weekend. Sony estimates its three-day take at $24.8 million.

Except for Memorial Day in 2020, when theaters were closed due to COVID-19, these are the lowest-grossing No. 1 movies in 29 years, since “Casper” made $22.5 million (not adjusted for inflation) in its first four days in 1995. Big earners are more typical of the holiday weekend, when ten films cracked the $100 million mark, led by “Top Gun: Maverick” opens in 2022 with a record-breaking $160 millionLast year, the live-action film “The Little Mermaid” was added with a debut of 118 million dollars. The audience numbers were even higher than the previous year. Pandemic-Confused Weekend in 2021 for “A Quiet Place II,” which grossed over $57 million.

“It was a reasonably quiet Memorial weekend,” said Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore's senior media analyst. “A few things didn't occur that caused this case: We didn't have a tailwind for the summer. We began the summer with out a Marvel movie. In some ways, we've been attempting to play catch-up all 12 months.”

Furiosa was never expected to join the club of $100 million opening films that Warner Bros. released in 3,804 theaters in the U.S. and Canada. But the film was expected to make a slightly stronger $40 million in its first four days. That would have been more in line with its predecessor, Mad Max: Fury Road, which opened to $45.4 million in May 2015. Fury Road, starring Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy, grossed nearly $380 million worldwide.

This new origin story, in which Taylor-Joy plays a younger version of Theron's character, also had a lot to offer, including good reviews from the just concluded Cannes Film Festival (it has an 89% on Rotten Tomatoes) and a spectacular international press tour with many exciting premiere appearances from Taylor-Joy. Internationally, the film grossed $33.3 million, for a worldwide opening of $58.9 million. With a production budget of $168 million, not including marketing and advertising, Furiosa has a long way to go to break even.

The Garfield Movie had a more modest budget of $60 million and is considered a solid start for the franchise. The film has already opened internationally and has grossed over $66 million to date. Its domestic opening far surpassed the first weekends of previous attempts at Garfield films.

Chris Pratt voices the lasagna-loving, Monday-hating orange cat in the film, which received scathing reviews (37% on Rotten Tomatoes). Audiences gave both Furiosa and Garfield the Movie a B+ CinemaScore and 4.5 out of 5 stars on PostTrak.

In its second weekend, John Krasinski's “IF” fell 53%, adding $16.1 million through Sunday and $20.7 million through Monday, bringing its domestic total to $63.3 million. Worldwide, it has crossed the $100 million mark. Now in its third weekend, “Reign of the Planet of the Apes” added $13.4 million through Sunday, bringing its worldwide total to $294.8 million and making it the fourth-highest-grossing film of the year.

All this results in a Summer cinema season that will not only fall short of the normal $4 billion mark, but may even struggle to reach $3 billion. Earlier this week, industry expert The Hollywood Reporter asked: what happened to the $100 million opener? ” Remarkably, there was none in 2024. The biggest of the year was “Dune: Part 2,” which opened with $82.5 million and grossed over $711 million worldwide.

“Movie attendance begets movie attendance,” Derarabedian said. “Every studio hopes that each other studio can have a giant hit.”

The lack of a current huge hit increases the pressure on upcoming films to make up the deficit. on the best way are various potential blockbusters akin to Paramount's “A Quiet Place: Day One” (June 27), Universal's “Despicable Me 4″ (July 3) and ” Twisters ” (July 19) and two heavyweights from Disney: “Inside Out 2” (June 14) and “ Deadpool and Wolverine “ (July 26).

“It's not over yet,” Dergarabedian said. “There are still a lot of big movies on the way. The summer heat is here so the movies can really deliver in June and July.”

1. “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” $25.6 million.
2. “Garfield: The Movie,” $24.8 million.
3. “IF,” $16.1 million.
4. “Reign of the Planet of the Apes,” $13.4 million.
5. “The Fall Guy,” $5.9 million.
6. “The Strangers: Chapter 1,” $5.6 million.
7. “Sight,” $2.7 million.”
8. “Challengers,” $1.4 million.
9. “Babes,” $1.1 million.
10. “Back to Black,” $1.1 million.

GasBuddy Phone App: Review. Spare wheel: Check. Sun protection: Check.

If you're considered one of the hundreds of thousands of Californians who load up their automotive and hit the highway over Memorial Day weekend, be prepared for a number of company.

According to AAA, more people will travel over the vacation weekend than in nearly 20 years. According to the car association, they are going to flock to sunny vineyards in Napa Valley, exuberant theme parks in Southern California and bustling entertainment venues in Las Vegas and New York.

“Since COVID restrictions were lifted, we have seen record after record travel,” said AAA spokesman John Treanor. “Many Americans are feeling a real urge to get out and take trips that they haven't been able to take before. This year in particular, we see theme parks at the top of the travel destination list.”

AAA says 2024 will end just behind 2005 and be the busiest Memorial Day travel weekend for the reason that company began keeping track in 2000. An estimated 5.6 million Californians will go on vacation, with about 80% of those people taking a visit by automotive.

In the South Bay, California's Great America is offering access to the South Bay Shores water park along with the rides and roller coasters, and there can be fireworks on Sunday evening to finish the vacation weekend. Disneyland also offers some special promotions and packages for the vacation weekend.

Dave Kallal, who lives on the Central California coast, can be amongst those spending the long holiday weekend in his glampervan. The Oakland-based company sells vans equipped with a queen-size bed, a kitchen, a rooftop deck, and lots of cupboard space.

“Basically every weekend we travel to surf and camp and go to Hobson Beach Park in Ventura for Memorial Day,” he said.

He said he doesn't worry about traffic because he drives in style.

“The drive there is easy and beautiful,” said Kallal. At the beach, “you basically open the back doors of the van, lie in bed and look at the ocean while you drink your morning coffee.”

Those traveling by automotive will see some relief on the pump over the vacations because the wholesale price of gasoline is fractions away from falling to its lowest level since February, said Patrick De Haan, chief petroleum analyst GasBuddy, in a social media post.

“With gas prices now approaching a 10-cent decline from their peak a few weeks ago, the future looks bright as Memorial Day approaches,” De Haan said in an announcement on GasBuddy. which uses crowdsourcing to trace gas prices.

In California, where gasoline prices are the best within the nation, the worth of normal gas was $5.22 a gallon on Friday. This time last 12 months, drivers were paying a median of $4.79 per gallon for normal gasoline.

According to AAA, Interstate-80 between San Francisco and Napa can be the busiest route within the Bay Area as people leave the town Friday morning, but there are many other places to go to in every direction in California.

According to Visit California, a drive along historic Highway 1 is the highest selection for travelers who crave dramatic cliffs, towering redwoods and breathtaking water views. A portion of the highway near the Rocky Creek Bridge that had been closed since late March reopened Friday.

Those on the lookout for an brisk weekend can visit Palm Springs for desert mountaineering, Los Angeles for urban nightlife, and Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez to sample Pinot Noir and lounge on the sun-drenched Refugio State Beach.

But before you head out, Chris Pyle, a longtime auto mechanic and current automotive specialist at San Francisco-based Just Answer, has some advice.

“All too often a car owner forgets to look at everything about the car. “People get used to just looking at things from the driver’s seat,” Pyle said. “Someone going out of town needs to think outside the box and check every single thing on a car checklist.”

That means checking the lights, seat belts, tire pressure, fluids and brakes, and ensuring the automotive's spare tire is inflated and in good condition, Pyle said. And once they're on the road, Pyle also suggests driving slower to enhance gas mileage. 62 miles per hour is the optimal value, he said.

Those who resolve to fly out of town over the vacation weekend also needs to take special precautions and arrive on the airport no less than two hours early for domestic flights and no less than three hours early for international trips.

AAA expects this to be the busiest Memorial Day weekend on the nation's airports since 2005, with 3.51 million air travelers flying, up nearly 5% from last 12 months.

The newly formed San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport is expecting greater than 130,000 passengers over the long weekend. That's in regards to the same number as last 12 months, but still greater than 30,000 fewer passengers than before the pandemic. And San Francisco International Airport is expecting 147,000 passengers between Friday and Monday. That is around 33,000 fewer passengers than before the pandemic.

San Jose Mineta International Airport didn’t provide projections on the variety of passengers expected to go through the airport over the long holiday weekend, but said airlines could have about 188,000 seats available during that period.

Golden State residents is not going to be alone on the streets and within the air.

According to AAA, greater than 43.8 million Americans are expected to travel over the Memorial Day holiday weekend. That's up 4% from last 12 months and shut to the 2005 record of 44 million Memorial Day travelers.

“We are anticipating Memorial Day weekend numbers the likes of which we have not seen in nearly 20 years,” Brian Ng, senior vp of membership and travel marketing for AAA Northern California, said in an announcement. “It is not only a return to pre-pandemic levels, but also a harbinger of the robust summer travel season ahead.”

SAN FRANCISCO — Cecil Williams, the favored co-founder of Glide Memorial Church and its deliverance minister, died Monday, based on the church. He was 94.

Williams and his late wife, Janice Mirikitani, founded the church in San Francisco's Tenderloin District greater than 60 years ago. Together, the couple built a “nationally recognized social justice center,” based on the church website.

Today, Glide's mission is to “break the cycle of poverty and exclusion,” however the eatery is maybe best known for its massive Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.

In one opinionThe church described Williams as a “pastor, author, social activist, lecturer, community leader and tireless advocate for the poor and marginalized.”

“With the death of Reverend Cecil William,” the church said, “we have lost an incomparable champion of social justice, civil and human rights, and liberation theology.”

Plans for the memorial were still being prepared as of Monday evening.

Mayor London Breed called Williams “the conscience of our San Francisco community.”

“He spoke out against injustice and he spoke up for the marginalized,” Breed said in an announcement posted on social media. “He led with compassion and wisdom, always putting people first and never relenting in his pursuit of justice and equality. His kindness brought people together and his vision changed our city and the world.”

Breed said Williams also helped guide and support generations of city leaders.

“Without the legendary Cecil Williams, we would not be who we are as a city and as a people,” she said.

Reverend Cecil Williams was the conscience of our San Francisco community. He spoke out against injustice and he spoke out for the marginalized. He led with compassion and wisdom, at all times putting people first and never relenting in his pursuit of justice and equality. His kindness… pic.twitter.com/XRJ74fo8Cx

– London Breed (@LondonBreed) April 22, 2024

In 2013, Williams and Mirikitani published a book about their journey called Beyond the Possible. It told the story of Glide's explosive growth from a dying church operating on $35,000 a yr to a $17 million community organization that gives celebrations, housing, health care, support groups and a pair of,560 free meals a day.

The book was a difficult undertaking, the couple told this news organization on the time.

“We almost decided to get divorced on this book,” Williams said, half-jokingly. “It was just so difficult. This is a book in which tears can be seen.”

Mirikitani replied: “I would say the book is a love story. Not just between two people, but in a community where there is more than just talking.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.