■ BASEBALL
Offerman arrested for attack
Former major league All-Star Jose Offerman was arrested on Tuesday after charging the mound and hitting the pitcher and catcher with his bat during a minor league game in Connecticut. Bridgeport police said Offerman was arrested, but did not detail the charges against him. Police said he posted bond. Offerman, playing for the Long Island Ducks in the Atlantic League, homered in the first inning. The next inning, he was hit by a pitch from Bridgeport's Matt Beech and charged the mound with his bat. Offerman hit Beech in the hands and struck catcher John Nathans in the head. The game was delayed for about 20 minutes because of the melee. Offerman, Beech and Bridgeport manager and former major league pitcher Tommy John were all ejected. There was no immediate update on the condition of Beech or Nathans. Offerman batted .273 during his 15 seasons in the majors. He last played in the majors in 2005 with Philadelphia and the New York Mets. He was an All-Star in 1995 with the Dodgers and 1999 with Boston.
■ GOLF
Norman cuts wife's cash
Greg Norman has cut off his wife's credit cards and held "hostage" other disputed money and property in a contentious year-long divorce, her lawyers said in court filings in Florida. The Australian golfer's attorneys denied all the allegations. Laura Norman claims her husband is trying to "starve" her out in an attempt to coerce her into signing a settlement agreement they are working out, according to a filing on Monday in Martin County. Greg Norman filed for divorce last year to end his 25-year marriage. "Everything is being held up by him," Russell Ferraro Jr, Laura Norman's attorney, said on Tuesday. According to the filing, Greg Norman broke unwritten agreements that he would allow his wife use of credit cards and provide funds for legal fees, and also changed the locks on the couple's US$22 million Jupiter Island estate.
■ BASEBALL
Cox sets ejection record
After going more than seven weeks without getting tossed, Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox finally passed John McGraw for the most ejections in Major League Baseball history on Tuesday. Cox was thrown out by home-plate umpire Ted Barrett for arguing a called third strike on Chipper Jones to end the fifth inning against the San Francisco Giants. It was the 132nd ejection of Cox's career, eclipsing the mark that McGraw set during his Hall of Fame career to 1932. While MLB doesn't count ejections as an official stat, the Society for American Baseball Research came up with 131 ejections for McGraw. The manager known as "Little Napoleon" was tossed 14 times as a player, so Cox already held the mark for managers. He tied McGraw's overall record during a June 23 game against the Detroit Tigers. After that, Cox managed to go 43 consecutive games without an ejection.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
Rafael Nadal on Tuesday lost in straight sets to 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round at the Madrid Open, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the semi-finals in the women’s doubles. Nadal said that he was feeling good about his progress following his latest injury layoff. Nadal called it a “positive week” in every way and said his body held up well. “I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches,” Nadal said. “So very positive, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis. I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just