Let’s celebrate Wednesday of a short work week with some tea, champagne and Wimbledon.

Now playing on centre court,

The Last Night’s Game Team

Held in London, Wimbledon is one of the four majors (big tennis tournaments) and is the only one played on grass. It is also the oldest tournament on the schedule, born in 1877.
There is a strict dress code for fans and players. All athletes must wear white. This year’s controversial Nike dress is the talk of the tournament. Fans also have a strict dress code. Famous British F1 driver Lewis Hamilton was barred from attending last year’s men’s championship for not honoring the dress code of blazer and tie.
Only 250 teens have the chance to serve in the highly sought after position of ball person. Over 750 people try out for the privilege of playing retriever and hobnobbing with the best tennis players the world has to offer.
Pete Sampras was the last American man to win Wimbledon in 2000. (Sampras’ wife is actress Bridgette Wilson, who you may remember as the bride in the flick “The Wedding Planner” alongside J-Lo). This year American Sam Querrey is on a quest to claim that title for the U.S. after beating defending champion Novak Djokovic. Querrey plays this morning at 8 am EST (ESPN/ESPN2) in the quarterfinals.
Serena Williams won Wimbledon last year for the ladies and both she and her sister, Venus, are still in it to win it this year. If they keep it up, they could face each other in the finals.

Mimosa extra credit - Lanson champagne is the official champagne of Wimbledon. Over 150,000 glasses of bubbly are served over the length of the tournament.

The fans have spoken. The starters for next week’s MLB All-Star Game have been announced. Don’t see your favorite player on the roster? You have until Friday at 4 pm EST to vote him in. You can catch the MLB All-Star Game live from San Diego on Tuesday, July 12th at 7:30 pm EST on FOX. Stay tuned for a special edition of five things to know about the All-Star Game and the Home Run Derby on Monday.
Free at last. On Monday the Dodgers brought in a bald eagle to fly in their Fourth of July pregame celebration. In the ultimate act of freedom, instead of flying to its trainer the eagle had other ideas and flew out of the stadium. The eagle was reportedly found a few innings later.

The rich get richer. Kevin Durant was this year’s most coveted free agent (meaning any team can sign him). Durant has decided to leave Oklahoma City Thunder for Golden State Warriors. He joins superstar Steph Curry’s team that won the NBA championship in 2015 and came in second this year, losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

ESPN The Magazine’s Annual Body Issue hits newsstands this Friday, July 8th. The magazine features athletes in their birthday suits. Seen the movie Old School? You know the part where Will Ferrell streaks through the quads? This is like that but so much more elegant. The issue features retired diver Greg Louganis, who is the oldest athlete to pose at age 56 and is HIV positive; Vince Wilfork, a 325-pound NFL player; and Team USA duathlete Chris Mosier, who is the first transgender athlete to pose.

In the 100th anniversary of the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, Joey Chestnut avenged his loss last year by eating 70 hot dogs in 10 minutes to regain his title as champion. He beat last year’s winner Matt Stonie by 17 hot dogs.

How are players chosen for the MLB All-Star Game? The pitchers and reserve players for both teams are determined through a combination of fan voting and manager selection. The managers of each team were the coaches for the two teams that played in the World Series last year. World Series Champions, Kansas City Royals manager Ned Yost will manage the AL (American League) All-Star team, while New York Mets Mets coach Terry Collins commands the NL (National League) team.

The Rundown: 5 Things to Know About Wimbledon

CONNECT WITH Us