Sports Desk

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

The New York Sun
The New York Sun
NEW YORK SUN CONTRIBUTOR

BASEBALL


MARINERS HIRE HARGROVE AS MANAGER


Mike Hargrove was hired yesterday to manage the Seattle Mariners and turn around the team after its worst season since 1983. Hargrove, previously the manager of the Baltimore Orioles and Cleveland Indians for 13 seasons, agreed to a three-year deal through 2007.


Hargrove replaces Bob Melvin, who was fired October 10, a day after Seattle ended the season at 63-99. All of Melvin’s coaches except pitching coach Bryan Price were fired, too.


Hargrove had been an assistant to Indians GM Mark Shapiro. He has a career major league managerial record of 996-963, including 721-591 with the Indians from 1991-99. He led the Indians to five consecutive Central Division titles in 1995-99, and World Series appearances in 1995 and 1997.


FOOTBALL


GANNON OFFICIALLY PLACED ON INJURED RESERVE


Rich Gannon was placed on injured reserve by the Oakland Raiders yesterday, an expected move since the quarterback has a broken vertebra in his neck.


The 38-year-old Gannon, the 2002 NFL MVP, announced Monday that he wouldn’t return this season after consulting with four of the top neck and spine specialists in the country. He hasn’t ruled out a return next season.


DOLPHINS RELEASE AHANOTU


The Miami Dolphins released defensive end Chidi Ahanotu, who left the team last week after complaining about a lack of playing time. The 12-year veteran signed as a free agent at the end of the preseason.


COLLEGE FOOTBALL


NCAA PUNISHES HUSKIES, BUT NOT NEUHEISEL


The NCAA cleared former Washington football coach Rick Neuheisel yesterday of wrongdoing related to his gambling on basketball games, but punished the university for failing to monitor the football program. The organization extended Washington’s probation – initially imposed because of men’s basketball recruiting violations – until Februray of 2007.


Thomas E. Yeager, chair of the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions, suggested the only reason Neuheisel was not punished was that the school’s compliance officer had written memos mistakenly saying participation in gambling pools was allowed.


The outcome could make Neuheisel, 43, a top contender to return to the Division 1-A coaching ranks. It might also help the wrongful termination lawsuit he filed against the university, set for trial January 24.


HORSE RACING


FUNNY CIDE LEADS LIST OF PRE-ENTERED HORSES FOR BREEDERS CLASSIC


The $4 million Breeders’ Cup Classic is shaping up as a doozy of a race – even without Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Smarty Jones.


Funny Cide, the 2003 Derby and Preakness winner, returns to the limelight along with defending champion Pleasantly Perfect, Belmont Stakes winner Birdstone, and perhaps the great mare Azeri in a field of 13 pre-entered for the BC Classic at Lone Star Park in Texas on October 30.


A total of 101 horses were pre-entered yesterday for the eight-race, $14 million extravaganza billed as the World Thoroughbred Championships. The Classic field should live up to its name – with or without Azeri, who was cross-entered in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Owner Michael Paulson has until next Wednesday to decide which race his 2002 Horse of the Year will run.


CYCLING


RUSSIANS APPEAL TO TAKE HAMILTON’S GOLD


The Russian Olympic Committee has filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport seeking to strip American cyclist Tyler Hamilton of his Olympic time-trial gold medal and give it to Vyacheslav Ekimov because of a doping controversy.


Hamilton edged Ekimov in the Athens Olympics in August. An initial doping test led to suspicions Hamilton had used a blood transfusion to boost his endurance. But the International Olympic Committee abandoned its probe in September because the American’s backup specimen mistakenly was frozen and there weren’t enough red blood cells left to analyze.


SOCCER


BIG CLUBS GET BIG WINS IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE


Chelsea, Inter Milan, and AC Milan all virtually sealed their places in the knockout phase of the Champions League yesterday by maintaining their perfect starts.


Inter Milan notched a 5-1 win over Valencia in Spain to leave the Spanish club in third place and looking unlikely to progress. Inter’s arch-rivals AC Milan shut out Spanish league leaders Barcelona 1-0 with Andriy Shevchenko scoring the only goal. Chelsea won for the third time with a 2-0 victory over CSKA Moscow.


– Associated Press

The New York Sun
NEW YORK SUN CONTRIBUTOR

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.


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