FOOTBALL

SANDERS SIGNS ONE-YEAR DEAL WITH RAVENS

Deion Sanders signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens yesterday after passing his physical. The seven time Pro Bowl cornerback, who will turn 38 in August, could earn as much as $4 million if playing-time incentives are triggered. Sanders, playing primarily as a nickel back, ranked second on the Ravens in 2004 with three interceptions. He played just nine games because of his toe and hamstring injuries.

HOCKEY

NEELY ELECTED TO HALL OF FAME

Former Boston Bruins star Cam Neely, the late Valeri Kharlamov, and Murray Costello were named to the Hockey Hall of Fame yesterday.

Neely and Kharlamov, a former Russian superstar who died in 1981, will enter in the players category. Costello, former president of the Canadian Hockey Association, goes in as a builder, or someone who contributed to the advancement of the game.

Neely, a hard-hitting power forward, played 13 seasons – three in Vancouver and his last 10 in Boston – and scored 50 or more goals three times. His career was cut short by health problems that began with a thigh injury in the 1991 Eastern Conference finals. He played in just 22 games over the next two seasons, but made an amazing comeback during the 1993-94 season, reaching 50 goals in his 44th game – third fastest in NHL history.

TENNIS

NADAL GOES DOWN AT GERRY WEBER OPEN

French Open champion Rafael Nadal’s 24-match winning streak was snapped yesterday when he lost in three sets to Alexander Waske on grass at the Gerry Weber Open. In his first match since winning the French title on clay Sunday, the third-seeded Spaniard was beaten 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 by the 147th-ranked German wild card. Nadal’s streak came entirely on clay, and his serve wasn’t as powerful on the faster surface of grass.

CYCLING

ARMSTRONG MOVES INTO THIRD PLACE AT DAUPHINE LIBERE

Lance Armstrong fought to a third-place finish yesterday in the time trial stage at the Dauphine Libere, trailing only Santiago Botero of Colombia and fellow American Levi Leipheimer. Botero, the 2002 world time trial champion, completed the 29.1-mile sprint around Roanne in 1 hour, 6.55 seconds.

Leipheimer finished in 1:00:7.27, giving him the overall lead. Armstrong crossed in 1:00:32.32, with Floyd Landis fourth. Botero jumped up to second in the overall standings, and Armstrong is in third place, putting him in a strong position heading into today’s first mountain stage.

SOCCER

U.S. ROUTS PANAMA IN WORLD CUP QUALIFYING

Carlos Bocanegra, Landon Donovan, and Brian McBride overwhelmed Panama with first-half goals, and the U.S. won last night’s qualifier 3-0 to move into commanding position to secure their fifth straight World Cup berth. The Americans (4-1) are second at the midpoint of the final round of the North and Central American region with 12 points, one behind Mexico (4-0-1), which beat visiting Trinidad and Tobago 2-0. The top three nations qualify for next year’s tournament. The Americans have three home games left, including matchups with T&T and Panama, the two weakest teams in the group.

Also yesterday, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and South Korea claimed all four of Asia’s guaranteed berths in the World Cup’s 32-team field yesterday to become the first nations to join host Germany.

BASEBALL

PHILLIES SWAP POLANCO FOR URBINA

Philadelphia traded infielder Placido Polanco to Detroit yesterday for relief pitcher Ugueth Urbina and infielder Ramon Martinez.

– Associated Press