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Sports Briefs

■ Baseball
Fehr prefers March Classic
US major league players union head Donald Fehr thinks March is the best time for the 2009 World Baseball Classic. Following the first tournament in March last year, the union and MLB said they would wait before setting the schedule for the second edition. "The problem is that when you attempt to coordinate the schedules, you back into March," Fehr said on Thursday. "On balance you look it and go, `Well, whatever its benefits would be in terms of some calendar association, it really doesn't work.' ... It's impossible, I think, to do it any other time next time than in March."

■ Football
`Tank' sentenced to jail
Chicago Bears defensive lineman Tank Johnson was sentenced Thursday to four months in jail for violating probation in a 2005 gun case. Johnson immediately was taken into custody. He could have been sentenced to up to a year behind bars. Johnson, who pleaded guilty to violating his probation, also must pay a US$2,500 fine. Johnson was arrested on misdemeanor weapons charges on Dec. 14 after police raided his home in the Lake County, Illinois, town of Gurnee, about 65km northwest of Chicago, and found six unregistered firearms. At the time, he was on probation for another case.

■ Soccer
Defensor downs Pasto
Uruguay's Defensor Sporting scored two late goals to come from behind and defeat Colombia's Deportivo Pasto 2-1 in Group 8 of the Copa Libertadores. Pasto, playing before 4,000 fans at its stadium in southern Colombia, kept possession of the ball for much of the first half, creating three scoring chances and finally tallying on Carlos Rodas' goal in the 26th minute. Carlos Morales scored on a header for Defensor at 80 minutes. Diego de Souza added the second goal during supplemental time. Peruvian referee Victor Hugo Rivera expelled four players, two from each squad.

■ Soccer
River Plate, Liga draw
Argentina's River Plate withstood the altitude effect of Ecuador's capital and drew 1-1 at Liga de Quito on Thursday night to leave both teams locked in second place in Group 6 of the Copa Libertadores. Both teams improved to four points, two behind Group 6 leader Caracas, which has played one less game. Chile's Colo Colo is in last place with zero points. Two teams from each of the eight first-round groups advance. Enrique Vera gave Liga the lead in the 14th minute but Ernesto Farias equalized in the 53rd. Both sides finished with 10 men. River's Ruben Sambueza was ejected with a red card five minutes before halftime for a harsh foul on Pedro Larrea.

■ Baseball
Former commissioner dies
Bowie Kuhn, who lorded over the major leagues as commissioner during 15 tumultuous years that saw players gain free agency and start the rise of salaries, died on Thursday. He was 80. Kuhn died at St. Luke's Hospital in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, following a short illness, his spokesman Bob Wirz said. When Kuhn took over as commissioner from William Eckert on Feb. 4, 1969, Major League Baseball just had completed its final season as a tradition-bound 20-team sport with no playoffs, a reserve clause that obligated players to teams in perpetuity and an average salary of about US$19,000.

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