Football

Northwestern players vote to unionize — Northwestern football players are voting on whether to form the nation’s first college athletic union. Friday’s unprecedented on-campus vote comes one month after a landmark ruling by a regional head of the National Labor Relations Board, which said players are employees and can unionize. Seventy-six scholarship football players are eligible to vote, but the results may not be known for months because the school is appealing the unionization effort. Ballots will be impounded.

Former NFL quarterback Morrall dies at 79 — Earl Morrall, an NFL quarterback for 21 years who started nine games during the Miami Dolphins’ perfect season in 1972, has died at age 79. The Dolphins confirmed Morrall’s death Friday. Former teammate Charlie Babb said Morrall had been in failing health for some time. When Bob Griese broke his ankle in 1972, Morrall came off the bench and started the final nine games of the regular season for the Dolphins.

Motor sports

Rain gives Larson top spot at Richmond — Rookie Kyle Larson will start from the pole position today in the NASCAR race at Richmond International Raceway after a thunderstorm arrived just in time to wash out qualifying. The top starting spot comes in just the 13th Sprint Cup Series race for Larson. Brad Keselowski will start on the outside of the front row, with Clint Bowyer and Kasey Kahne in the second row.

Olympics

Rio mayor says he won’t bow to sports federations — Rio de Janeiro’s mayor says sports federations are making too many unnecessary demands for the 2016 Olympics. Eduardo Paes says he expects federations to continue complaining about the city’s preparations until the start of the games, but that he will not bow to their pressure and will keep his focus on securing a legacy for Rio well beyond the Olympics. In an interview with Brazilian reporters, he said the federations are asking for too many “large things” that won’t be used by the city after the Olympics, so he will keep fighting to provide only what will be absolutely necessary to guarantee successful games in two years.

— From wire reports