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.

BASEBALL
METS INTERVIEW RIGGLEMAN
Jim Riggleman interviewed yesterday for the Mets’ managing job, and the team hopes to hire a replacement for Art Howe next week.
Riggleman, the Dodgers’ bench coach, managed San Diego for a little over two seasons and was the Cubs’ manager from 1995-99. He has a 486-598 record as a major league manager.
Riggleman met with Mets general manager Omar Minaya, who already has interviewed Yankees coach Willie Randolph, former managers Carlos Tosca and Terry Collins, and Texas Rangers hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo. The team also plans to speak with former Mets second baseman Wally Backman.
Minaya was noncommital about whether he would interview Jim Leyland, who managed Florida to a championship in 1997. Leyland reportedly is interested in managing again.
BONDS BALL FETCHES OVER $800,000
Barry Bonds’s 700th home run ball brought a top bid of $804,129 yesterday after a 10-day online auction. The ball had received 240 offers by the time Overstock.com closed the bidding. The identity of the top bidder was not immediately made public.
Steve Williams of Pacifica got the ball after a scramble in the left-center field bleachers at SBC Park on September 17 – a mad dash that has fattened his wallet but also landed him in court. Timothy Murphy has sued Williams, contending he should get the ball because he locked it behind his knees while at the bottom of a scrum before Williams swiped it.
PALMEIRO RE-SIGNS WITH ORIOLES
Rafael Palmeiro took a pay cut and accepted a one-year, $3 million contract with Baltimore yesterday.
Palmeiro, 40, returned to the Orioles this season after a five-year absence. He batted .258 with 23 homers and 88 RBI — the first time since 1994 that he failed to hit at least 38 homers and drive in 100 runs.
Palmeiro had a clause in his $4.5 million contract that called for him to receive an identical sum in 2005 if he played in 140 games at first base, but Orioles manager Lee Mazzilli drastically reduced Palmeiro’s playing time in the field as the season drew to a close.
BASKETBALL
KNICKS WAIVE MURRAY
The Knicks waived veteran forward Tracy Murray, who averaged just 2.4 points and 1.0 rebound in five preseason game after being signed on October 4.The league leader in 3-point percentage in 1993-94, the 6-foot-7 Murray played in seven games for the Trail Blazers last season, averaging 1.1 points.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
MISS. STATE PLACED ON PROBATION
Mississippi State was placed on probation by the NCAA for four years, stripped of eight scholarships over the next two seasons, and banned from postseason play this season because of recruiting violations.
The NCAA announced yesterday that its infractions committee found two former assistants and several boosters broke recruiting rules between 1998-2002. But allegations of unethical conduct against former coach Jackie Sherrill were dismissed. Sherrill retired after the 2003 season and was replaced by Sylvester Croom. The Bulldogs (2-5) won their first Southeastern Conference game under Croom, the first black head football coach in SEC history, last Saturday when they upset Florida.
TENNIS
SERENA BLAMES HEADACHE FOR UPSET LOSS
Serena Williams blamed a headache for her poor play in a 7-6, 6-3 upset loss to qualifier Alina Jidkova in the second round of the Generali Ladies Open. The third-seeded Williams said she felt dizzy and fatigued while making 29 unforced errors. She hadn’t played in a month because of lingering pain in her left knee.
The six-time major champion was given pain killers by a trainer after falling behind 3-1 in the second set. Williams said the medicine slowed her reaction time. The stunning setback hurt Williams’s chances of qualifying for the season ending tour championship in Los Angeles next month.
FISH KNOCKED OUT OF ST. PETERSBURG OPEN
Olympic silver medalist Mardy Fish was knocked out in the second round of the St. Petersburg Open yesterday, losing 6-7 (6), 6-4, 6-3 to Cyril Saulnier. Also yesterday, top-seeded Marat Safin reached the second round when Alexander Peya quit with an ankle injury while trailing 7-6, 4-1 in the second set.
FOOTBALL
UPSHAW: EIGHT NFL TEAMS HAVE UNFAIR ADVANTAGE
Gene Upshaw told NFL owners yesterday he believes eight powerful teams have obtained an unfair advantage over the other 24.
Upshaw, who met with a selected group of owners on the first day of the fall league meetings, is hoping the system will change in a new labor deal. The current contract expires after the 2008 draft, but negotiations have begun on an extension through the 2011 season. Under the current agreement, there will be no salary cap for the 2007 season.
Upshaw noted that high-revenue teams such as Chicago and Dallas get more local money, which is not part of the league’s revenue sharing. The union wants high-revenue teams to contribute more money to the shared pool, a move that would also increase the salary cap and provide more money for players.
In addition to the Bears and Cowboys, Forbes Magazine lists the other teams in the top eight as New England, Philadelphia, Denver, Cleveland, Houston, and Washington.
DOLPHINS’ BOWENS OUT FOR SEASON
Dolphins defensive tackle Tim Bowens, who played in just two games this year because of a back injury, went on injured reserve yesterday and will miss the rest of the season. To fill the open roster spot, Miami signed defensive tackle Mario Monds off the Giants’ practice squad.
WESTBROOK QUESTIONABLE FOR SUNDAY
Eagles running back Brian Westbrook has a cracked rib and is questionable for this weekend’s game against Baltimore. The rib injury did show up on an initial X-ray, but more tests revealed a small crack of the first rib. The normal recovery time for that kind of injury is four to six weeks, but Westbrook won’t necessarily be out that long, the Eagles said.
SOCCER
HOST GERMANY WILL KICK OFF 2006 WORLD CUP
FIFA said yesterday that Germany will play the opening match of the World Cup June 9, 2006, in Munich, even though coach Jurgen Klinsman didn’t want the honor. Klinsmann wanted another team, preferably defending champion Brazil, provided it qualifies, to play in the opener.
Klinsmann originally said he was concerned about the enormous pressure his team will be facing as host. But soccer’s governing body settled the issue by picking the three time champion Germans, who automatically qualify for the tournament as the host nation. Since 1974, the defending champion has played the opening match of the tournament. But FIFA has changed its rules, meaning even defending champions now must qualify.
FIFA TO OFFER TRAINING FOR WORLD CUP REFEREES
Referees at the 2006 World Cup will begin a training program next year that FIFA hopes will assure top officiating during the event in Germany. Soccer’s governing body said yesterday that the 18-month program will start at the beginning of 2005.The final referee list will be announced at the end of March 2006.
– Associated Press