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Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Porter Superior Court Judge Roger Bradford remembered for fairness, Portage pride
Retired Porter Superior Court Judge Roger Bradford is being remembered for his fairness on the bench, athleticism and Portage pride since his passing Sunday. Porter County Prosecutor Gary Germann has known Bradford since 1970, when they attended Valparaiso University Law School together. 'People do not realize what a really great athlete he was,' said Germann, who played on Nolo contendere, the Porter County Bar Association softball team, with Bradford for over a decade. 'He was our second baseman.' That was a continuation of Bradford's sporting days at Portage Township Schools, where he was nicknamed 'Mr. Machine' in basketball, according to his obituary with Edmonds & Evans Funeral Home. After attending Indiana State University, Bradford taught fourth and fifth grades in Union Township. He married Mary Kaltenbach, with whom he had two daughters and one granddaughter. After graduating from VU Law School, Bradford worked in private practice and was appointed to county court in Portage and then to Porter County Superior Court in 1979. He served on that bench for over 40 years before retiring in 2020. The state awarded him the Sagamore of the Wabash. Germann said Bradford was one of the best judges he's ever appeared under. 'He was a great listener, very consistent, which is what you always want from a judge,' Germann said. Even when Bradford ruled against him, Germann always felt his judgment was fair. That's a sentiment echoed by Porter County Sheriff Jeff Balon, who used to appear before Bradford when he testified in court as a detective for the Valparaiso Police Department. 'There were cases where I had success in front of Judge Bradford and cases where I did not,' Balon recalled, but either way, he 'was fair overall.' 'Judge Bradford was the epitome of a good judge,' Balon added. 'He was fair. He was firm. He was honest. He was trustworthy. Let's add knowledgeable to that list.' Porter County Chief Public Defender Ken Elwood knew Bradford for 30 years. 'He was just a good person, very even-keeled,' he said. 'The time that he was on the bench, Porter County residents should have definitely felt safer.' Elwood also played in the Porter County Bar Association Golf League with Bradford for several years and said those Wednesday evening games and the Ryder Cup-style tournaments Bradford organized were a lot of fun. Porter County Board of Commissioners President Jim Biggs, R-North, said Bradford was very involved in the community. 'He was everything you wanted a judge to be,' said Biggs. 'He was a very quiet individual, especially if you didn't know him, but he was a consummate professional. You never heard any complaints. He just went about his job.' That community involvement extended to Bradford's lifelong love of Portage. Elwood said Bradford's family had a farm off Willowcreek Road and McCasland Avenue. 'It was pretty neat to hear the Portage roots,' he said. 'I coached Portage High School football in the 90s and he came to every game for years. He was a Portage guy through and through.' Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 19, at Edmonds & Evans Funeral Home, Portage Chapel, 6941 Central Ave. in Portage. The funeral is at 6 p.m. Friday at the funeral home with additional visitation from 4 to 6 p.m.
Daily Record
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Stirling Uni golfer helps international squad claim Stateside success
Ross Laird was part of the team taking on a US squad in the Ryder-Cup style event held in South Carolina Stirling Uni golfer Ross Laird is celebrating after securing victory Stateside as part of an international squad in a prestigious team event. Laird was competing in the Arnold Palmer Cup, an annual team event held between college/university golfers from the United States and an international squad, with this year's event being held at Congaree Golf Club in South Carolina. The second-year finance student was the only member of the international side to be based outside of the US and came up trumps with a point in the foursomes as the internationals secured a 35-25 win. The 21-year-old said: 'The week was great – I loved playing and representing Scotland as part of Team International. 'I really enjoyed being able to play as a team and in different formats, and to have the opportunity to learn and meet a lot of new people within the game. 'It meant a lot beating the United States on their home soil too.' The Ryder Cup-style event is often a milestone for up-and-coming golfers, with many who have competed in the event going on to play on the PGA, LPGA, and European Tour. Several golf scholars from Stirling have competed in the Cup, including Graeme Robertson, Hazel MacGarvie and Lorna McClymont. At this year's competition, which ran June 5-7, Laird and partner Elice Fredriksson lost 3&2 in the Mixed Fourball (opponents were three holes up, with two holes left) to Team USA's Mary Kelly Mulcahy and Jase Summy. In the Foursomes, Laird paired with Filip Jakubcik – beating Team USA's Josiah Gilbert and Michael La Sasso - who will compete in this week's US Open - 2&1. In the Mixed Foursomes, Laird and Caitlyn Macnab were beaten by Meghan Ganne and Jacob Modleski 6&5, before Laird lost his singles match to La Sasso by the same margin. It was Team International's first win in the series since 2022, and the first time they had won in the United States since 2020. Team USA now leads the series 15-13, with one draw. The university's head of golf, Dean Robertson, added: 'A huge congratulations to Ross on a fantastic win with Team International at the Arnold Palmer Cup. Ross played an important part in a brilliant competition, and he should be proud of his efforts. 'Ross continues to grow and develop as a golfer and experiencing major international competitions such as the Arnold Palmer Cup will strengthen his game.' The win in South Carolina is just the latest success for Laird. Last season, he was crowned the best male student golfer in the UK, winning the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Order of Merit. He was second in this year's Order of Merit, and has recently returned from Spain, where he represented Scotland at the Men's European Nations Championships. Notably, he also finished tied fifth in last year's Torneo Internacional Copa Juan Carlos Tailhade competition in Argentina.
USA Today
08-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Team International runs away with 2025 Arnold Palmer Cup title at Congaree
Team International runs away with 2025 Arnold Palmer Cup title at Congaree For the second straight year, the team on foreign soil is heading home with the trophy. Team International got off to a slow start Saturday in singles, dropping the first four matches, but they won 15 of the final 20 to run away with the title at the 2025 Arnold Palmer Cup at Congaree Golf Club in South Carolina. The Internationals won 35-25, taking the title in the United States for the first time since 2020 and getting their first victory in the series since 2022. The Palmer Cup is a Ryder Cup-style tournament featuring the top men's and women's university/college golfers matching the United States against a team of International players. The U.S. now leads the series, 15-13-1. Former Wake Forest star Carolina Chacarra closed a perfect 4-0 week with a 1-up win against Stanford's Megha Ganne. She was one of two International players to finish the week with an unblemished record, joining former San Diego State standout Justin Hastings, the first Caymanian to compete in the Arnold Palmer Cup. 'Representing Team International as well as my country Spain alongside such amazing golfers and people means the world to me,' Chacarra said. 'It's been such a fun and special week. The team chemistry was unbelievable, and I think the results really showed that. Match play is always a blast, and going 4-0 made it even sweeter. This is a great tournament with some of the best players in the world, and bringing the trophy back was our goal all week." It was a special week for Texas sophomore Daniel Bennett, the 2025 Phil Mickelson Award winner, and Arkansas junior Maria Jose Marin, who won the NCAA individual title last month at Omni La Costa. The duo each received exemptions into professional events, as voted on by their peers. Bennett will tee it up in the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, and Marin will play later this summer in the Amundi Evian Championship.
The National
05-06-2025
- Sport
- The National
Ross Laird relishing team tussle against in Palmer Cup
The barman at the Congaree Club, the host venue for the Ryder Cup-style tussle between US college students and their International counterparts, may have his knowledge of beverages tested, however, should Scotsman Ross Laird ask him to rustle up a 'John Panton'. Laird, the Stirling University student, is a member at Glenbervie, the Larbert club where the celebrated, decorated Panton served as club professional for 40 years. In that time, a few of his eponymous libations made up of ginger beer, lime and Angostura bitters were served up too. Whatever drinks are doing the rounds this week, Laird will be hoping he's raising a glass to an International team success. The 21-year-old played in last weekend's Scottish Open Amateur Strokeplay Championship at North Berwick before hopping on a transatlantic flight on Monday to join up with his team-mates in the US. It's been quite the whirlwind but should be worth it. 'It's the opportunity of a lifetime,' said Laird of an event which has featured college standouts like Jon Rahm, Rickie Fowler, Luke Donald and Francesco Molinari down the seasons. Interestingly, Laird is the only member of the International team not studying in the US. He did have a brief stint at Cal Poly in California as a teenager but a return to the home comforts of Stirling University has suited him down to a tee. 'I went to California for a semester, but it wasn't for me at the time,' he reflected. 'It wasn't run the way I thought it would be. I had a few friends who were at Stirling at the time. 'One of them, George Cannon, was playing the best golf of his life and he said how good it was. If it was working for him, I thought it could work for me. And it has.' Stirling University, of course, has become the place to be for those wanting to pursue a golf scholarship on this side of the pond. Catriona Matthew and Richie Ramsay both graduated from there, as did The Herald's former golf correspondent, John Huggan. Quite a triumvirate, eh? These days, the golf programme is run by Dean Robertson, the current captain of the GB&I Walker Cup team. Since starting in his role as head of golf back in 2010, the popular Paisley man has been such a success, he'll probably get immortalised in a monument on the Abbey Craig. The experience, expertise and sage counsel that Robertson offers continues to stand Laird in good stead. 'Dean has played a big part in my development,' said finance student Laird, who won the British Universities and College Sport order of merit last season. 'He's very understanding, very knowledgeable and just a great guy to go to about anything. 'My game as a whole has improved. Dean has helped me review the stats, what's working, what's not and focus on the areas that I need to improve in. "Golf is always a work in progress. That's what I love about it. The constant search for improvement.' While Robertson's nurturing continues to bear fruit, the emergence of Robert MacIntyre on the global stage has given Laird plenty of inspiration too. 'One day, I want that to be me,' added Laird as he aims for the stars. 'He's someone we all want to be; a young man from small town Scotland playing with the best. "It's amazing what he's achieved, and it shows what can be done with talent and hard work.' Laird's own golfing career began at the age of eight when he was bitten by the bug. 'Nobody played golf in my family,' he said. 'I only started as my best friend at school played. 'We both joined Falkirk which had an amazing junior section. We'd start on the nine-hole academy course then work our way up. I'd tried a lot of different sports, but nothing really jumped out at me until I got on the golf course. That was me hooked. "I was out every day. In the summer, we'd be dropped off at the course at 9am and stay there until 8pm at night. We loved it.' Back in 1961, the aforementioned Panton, one of Scotland's greatest golfers of yore, lost to Palmer in the foursomes of the Ryder Cup at Lytham. Perhaps another Glenbervie golfer will have better luck in the Palmer Cup? And raise a 'John Panton' to celebrate?
NBC Sports
04-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Adam Silver says 2026 All-Star Game will be USA vs. World format
This isn't a surprise, but NBA Commissioner confirmed what had already been discussed: The 2026 NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles will be a USA vs. World format. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver confirms there will be USA vs. the World in the 2026 All-Star Game 👀 "I'm not exactly sure what the format will be yet. I paid a lot of attention to what the NHL did, which was a huge success."@craigcartonlive | @DannyParkins | @markschlereth This is a natural fit, given that the All-Star Game broadcast is moving to NBC and falls during the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics next February. While Silver was vague on details, this is expected to be a Ryder Cup-style format, featuring the USA vs. the World. Will that get players to actually care about the All-Star Game rather than just go through the motions? Asked about it last All-Star weekend, the international players seemed more enthusiastic about the idea than the Americans. 'I would love that. Oh, I would love that,' the Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo said. 'I think that would be the most interesting and most exciting format. I would love that. For sure, I'd take pride in that. I always compete, but I think that will give me a little bit more extra juice to compete, like having Shai, Jokic, Luka, Wemby, Towns, Sengun. I know those players — obviously I'm missing some guys that I cannot think from the top of my head, going against the best U.S. players. I think it would be fun. I think that would be the best format.' 'I would love to. My opinion is that it's more purposeful,' the Spurs' Victor Wembanyama said. 'There's more pride in it. More stakes.' The top end of a hypothetical world roster would be stacked — the last seven MVP winners were international players. The world team would feature Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, Antetokounmpo, Wembanyama and more. An American team likely would feature LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, and Jalen Brunson, and its roster likely would be deeper than the World Team. It's going to be entertaining to watch when it rolls around next February.
