Red Sox lefty Cam Booser wins Tony C. Award for overcoming adversity

BOSTON (AP) — Red Sox left-hander Cam Booser, who overcame alcohol abuse, injuries and a bicycling accident before returning this season from a career in construction to make his major-league debut at almost 32 years old, will receive the Tony Conigliaro Award for overcoming adversity.

“To have my name in the same conversation as Tony Conigliaro is something that I will always hold close,” Booser said. “This is truly humbling.”

The award named for the former Boston outfielder honors a player who overcame adversity "through the attributes of spirit, determination, and courage that were trademarks of Tony C.” Others receiving votes were Kansas City right-hander Lucas Erceg, Atlanta lefty Chris Sale, Oakland righty Mason Miller, Baltimore righty Albert Suárez and Cleveland lefty Matthew Boyd.

Previous winners include Jim Eisenreich, Bo Jackson and Curtis Pride. Previous Red Sox players to win the award were Bret Saberhagen, Jon Lester and John Lackey.

The award was voted on by a committee of Red Sox and Major League Baseball officials, media members and a representative of the Conigliaro family.

Booser retired from baseball in 2017 at 25 after battling through alcohol abuse and injuries that included a broken leg and broken vertebrae, Tommy John surgery, a torn labrum and a broken back when he was hit by a car while riding a bicycle. He joined a carpenters union and worked construction but resumed throwing off a mound in late 2020.

Booser pitched in independent leagues in 2021, spent time in the Diamondbacks organization in 2022 and signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox last year, making 48 relief appearances for Triple-A Worcester in 2023. The Red Sox called him up on April 19 and he recorded the last three outs of a victory in his major league debut in Pittsburgh that night.

In all, he had a 3.38 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 42 2/3 innings in 43 games last season, going 15 games without allowing a run.

Conigliaro was a Boston area native who made his major league debut in 1964 at 19 and homered in his first at-bat at Fenway Park. In his second season, he became the youngest player to lead his league in homers, with 32; he reached 100 homers at 22, the youngest in AL history.

But in 1967, he was hit in the face by a pitch that fractured his cheekbone, dislocated his jaw and damaged his retina. After missing all of 1968, he returned to play two more seasons for the Red Sox before declining vision forced him to retire.

Conigliaro had a heart attack in 1982 and died eight years later at the age of 45. The award has been presented every year since then.

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FILE - Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Cam Booser throws to a Kansas City Royals batter during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann, File)

U.S. women's national team goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher is retiring from international soccer.

Naeher is on the team's roster for a pair of upcoming matches in Europe but those games will be her last after a full 11 years playing for the United States.

Over the course of her career, Naeher was on the U.S. team that won the Women's World Cup in 2019 and the gold medal at the Olympics this summer in France. She's the only U.S. goalkeeper to earn a shutout in both a World Cup and an Olympic final.

She made a key one-handed save in stoppage time to preserve the Americans' 1-0 victory over Brazil in the Olympic final. Mallory Swanson, who scored the only goal, ran down the length of the field to embrace Naeher at the final whistle.

Naeher announced her retirement on social media Monday.

“Every tear shed in the challenging times and disappointments made every smile and celebration in the moments of success that much more joyful. This has been a special team to be a part of and I am beyond proud of what we have achieved both on and off the field," she wrote. “The memories I have made over the years will last me a lifetime.”

Naeher was known throughout her career for her calm and steady leadership. She is one of just three goalkeepers to make more than 100 appearances for the United States.

Naeher made her debut with the national team in 2014 and was a backup to Hope Solo at the 2015 World Cup, which the United States won. She became the team’s regular starter following the 2016 Olympics and was on the squad that repeated as World Cup winners in 2019.

The 36-year-old has also played for the Chicago Red Stars in the National Women’s Soccer League since 2016.

Earlier this year, she had one of her strongest-ever performances in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup. Not only did she make three saves during a penalty shootout with Canada, she converted a penalty kick herself — tucking the ball neatly into the corner of the net.

Afterward she said: “Winning is the best feeling.”

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

FILE - United States goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher defends her net during a women's group B match between the United States and Zambia at Nice Stadium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Nice, France. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)

FILE - United States' Alyssa Naeher makes a save against Canada during the shoot out of a SheBelieves Cup women's soccer match Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete, File)