BASEBALL

SHEFFIELD SUSPENDED FOR OUTBURST

Yankees outfielder Gary Sheffield was suspended for two games by the commissioner’s office yesterday. Sheffield was ejected after being called out at first base by umpire C.B. Bucknor in Sunday’s game against the Mets at Yankee Stadium. Sheffield threw his helmet after he was called out, and replays showed he appeared to beat the throw.

Bob Watson, baseball’s vice president in charge of discipline, penalized Sheffield “aggressive actions,” and fined him $2,000.

“I think Bob Watson’s decision was completely wrong,” Yankees president Randy Levine said. “He totally missed the point that this whole incident was precipitated by a now-known erroneous call at first base and an overreaction by the umpire, who prematurely ejected Gary Sheffield.”

The commissioner’s office also handed out a four-game suspension to Baltimore Orioles pitcher Steve Kline yesterday. Kline was ejected following a balk call Monday night in Baltimore, when he angrily protested the decision by plate umpire Marty Foster. Orioles manager Lee Mazzilli went on the field, standing between Foster and the charging Kline. Kline immediately appealed the decision. Speaking in front of his locker Thursday, the left-hander said, “It’s a joke. I’ve seen worse than what I did. … Sheffield only gets two games and I get four for something I don’t even know what I did yet? Go figure.”

GOLF

CURTIS, FURYK, FISCHER TIED AT WESTERN OPEN

Ben Curtis, the 2003 British Open champion, shot a bogey-free, 7-under 64 yesterday, giving him a share of the lead at the Western Open with Jim Furyk and Todd Fischer. The score was one shy of the course record and gave the trio a two-stroke lead over former Western champ Robert Allenby, Harrison Frazar, and Chad Campbell.

Fan favorite John Daly, playing his first Western since 1996, finished at 2-under 69 after almost holing his second shot on the par-4 18th. Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh didn’t look like the top two players in the world. Woods, who couldn’t get the ball close to the pin all afternoon, shot a 2-over 73 and has some work to do to make the cut. Singh shot 72.

Curtis was a rookie when he won the British two years ago, beating Singh and Thomas Bjorn by a stroke. Though he’s had some good rounds here and there, he’s never come close to duplicating his run at Royal St. George’s.

BALLESTEROS WITHDRAWS FROM BRITISH OPEN

Three-time champion Seve Ballesteros withdrew from next month’s British Open at St. Andrews and will be replaced by fellow Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal. The 48-year-old Ballesteros won the British Open in 1979, ’84, and ’88. Ballesteros wrote to tournament organizers, saying he wasn’t in good enough form to play the July 14-17 tournament at St. Andrews. He hasn’t played competitively since his own event, The SeveTrophy, in late 2003, and he injured his knee earlier this year when he slipped on a practice tee.

BOXING

HEARNS PLANNING RETURN TO RING

Former champion Thomas Hearns is planning to a return to the ring for the first time in five years, a spokeswoman said yesterday. His opponent for the July 30 bout in downtown Detroit was scheduled to be announced today, spokeswoman Kathie Stonehouse said. The 46-year-old Hearns (59-5-1, 46 knockouts) will fight on the same card as his son, Ronald Hearns, a 26-year-old middleweight who is 6-0.

“There’s a lot of fire built up inside of me,” Hearns told the Detroit News.

Hearns already has had a distinctive career with six world titles in five weight classes. He last fought in 2000 against Uriah Grant in Detroit, but was forced to quit the bout after an injury.

FOOTBALL

TICE FINED FOR SCALPING TICKETS

Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Tice was fined $100,000 by the NFL yesterday for scalping his Super Bowl tickets. Running backs coach Dean Dalton and special teams coach Rusty Tillman were also each fined $10,000 for scalping their tickets. Commissioner Paul Tagliabue notified the three coaches of their punishment in a letter.

Tice has acknowledged reselling some of his personal allotment of 12 Super Bowl tickets last season and had also resold his tickets as a Vikings assistant coach from 1996-2001. Each NFL player has the right to purchase up to two Super Bowl tickets at face value, which this year was $500 and $600 depending on the seat. But they must sign a document saying they won’t resell them at a profit.

SOCCER

METROSTARS SIGN VETERAN MEOLA

Tony Meola, one of the best goalkeepers in U.S. soccer history, was signed yesterday by the MetroStars, the team he began his Major League Soccer career with in 1996. Meola, 36, spent the last six seasons with the Kansas City Wizards and helped the team to its first MLS championship in 2000 when he started 31 games and finished 15-7-9. He started 21 games for the Wizards last season and went 9-7-5, but an Achilles’ tendon injury sidelined him for nearly three months. He was waived by Kansas City in March.

– Associated Press