White undies required at Wimbledon
Wimbledon is a tournament steeped in tradition, from the all-grass courts to the Venus Rosewater Dish to the Middle Sunday day of rest.
One of the tournament's most storied traditions is the all-white dress code, which has been in effect at the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club since 1877, even before the championships began.
Previously, some female players have tried to skirt the rule by donning a splash of color underneath their all-white outfits, like Serena Williams did in 2013.
So the officials introduced a stricter edict this year that said "undergarments that either are or can be visible during play (including due to perspiration) must also be completely white and contain no more than 1cm of coloured trim," according to a letter sent to players by tournament referee Andrew Jarrett.
Former Wimbledon winner Pat Cash, who was forced to withdraw from the Wimbledon Majors tournament after his tennis shoes failed to pass dress code muster, called this rule "archaic." The 1987 champion reportedly told BBC 5 Live, "Some of the girls have been told to go back and change their bras and tops because they had slight color on them.
"I believe some of the girls didn't have suitable sports bras and had to go without them. It has absolutely gone ridiculous."
But the stricter rule didn't seem to get anyone's panties in a bunch. The Irish Examiner reported Caroline Wozniacki didn't see any uproar in the locker rooms over the newly amended rule.
"I guess white is white and everyone wears white. It's the same for everyone," Wozniacki said. "I don't think anyone is like showing off their underwear like that and getting it checked. That would be pretty creepy."
Back in the saddle
Otto Thorwarth, who gave up the saddle for the Silver Screen in 2009, made his return to racing at Belterra Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Saturday. Thorwarth, who had no previous acting experience, landed the role of jockey Ron Turcotte in the Disney production of Secretariat. The director Randall Wallace was so impressed with Thorwarth's performance he actually added lines to the script that extended his scenes in the movie.
"It was an awesome experience for sure," said the 42-year-old Thorwarth. "One day while on the set I was sitting on a bench between Diane Lane and John Malkovich and this feeling came over me like -- what am I doing here?"
Though he was involved in some other video projects, he never lost his connection with the horses. Thorwarth galloped horses in the morning workouts at Oaklawn Park near his home in Hot Springs where he lives with his wife Brandi and their two daughters. During the summer months he would help break 2-year-olds at a local farm.
"It was nice to take that time off and live a 'normal life' with my family," he said, "but I missed the competition -- you can't get it out of your blood."
Sports quiz
Ron Turcotte rode Secretariat and this other horse to a victory in the Kentucky Derby.
Answer
Turcotte was aboard Riva Ridge in 1972, a year before he road Secretariat to the Triple Crown in 1973.
Sports on 06/29/2014