■ BASEBALL
Pitcher Johnny Podres dies
Johnny Podres, who pitched the Brooklyn Dodgers to their only World Series title with a seventh-game gem over arch-rival New York Yankees in 1955, died on Sunday at age 75. A hospital spokesman confirmed the passing of Podres, who was only 23 when he hurled an eight-hit 2-0 shutout in the 1955 World Series decider over the Yankees, the Bronx-based rivals who won five prior Series over Brooklyn. But after southpaw Podres made the Dodgers the first team to win a World Series after dropping the first two games, the joy was short-lived. Just two years later, the Dodgers would move to Los Angeles. Podres also pitched for San Diego and Detroit.
■ BASEBALL
Cameron finalizes contract
Suspended outfielder Mike Cameron and the Milwaukee Brewers finalized a US$7 million, one-year contract on Monday. The sides reached an agreement Friday that was subject to 35-year-old Cameron passing a physical. "Mike has a rare combination of defense, power and baserunning along with the ability to work the count," Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said. "He is also a leader in the clubhouse." A three-time Gold Glove winner, Cameron hit .242 with 21 home runs and 78 RBIs last season for the San Diego Padres.
■ BASKETBALL
Mourning's future in doubt
Alonzo Mourning's NBA future was cast further in doubt on Monday after the Miami Heat posted then removed a story on their Web site saying he was calling it quits. Mourning had said before the season this would be his last but the campaign came to a premature end on Dec. 19 when he tore the patella tendon and quadriceps tendon in his right knee. The injury came as Mourning ran down the court and landed under the rim to position himself to block a shot in the first quarter of an eventual 117-111 Miami overtime loss to Atlanta.
■ BASKETBALL
Nuggets quiet on Nene
The Denver Nuggets remained silent on Monday on the medical condition that has sidelined Nene. Coach George Karl indicated they are preparing to be without him for some time. The Brazilian forward took an indefinite leave of absence on Friday. "I was hurt and saddened by the news," Karl said without elaborating. "Now the support and strength of the team to give to him is important." Nene, who is averaging 6.4 points and 6.4 rebounds, missed 22 games earlier this season after undergoing left thumb surgery. The Nuggets, citing privacy laws, have gone along with Nene's decision to remain quiet on his condition. "He's a very private person. He's a very quiet person," Karl said before Monday's game against Charlotte.
■ CYCLING
Man convicted over death
An Italian man was convicted on Monday over the cocaine death of former Tour de France champion Marco Pantani and sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison, the Italian news agency ANSA said. Four people were arrested for allegedly selling drugs to the 34-year-old Italian cyclist, who died in February 2004 in a hotel room in the Adriatic resort town of Rimini. Three of the four had entered plea bargains in the case and have already served their sentences. Fabio Carlino was convicted in a separate trial of unintentionally causing death as a consequence of drug dealing, ANSA reported late Monday. Police have said that the defendants were identified by monitoring telephone conversations.
■ SOCCER
Bangura avoids deportation
Watford midfielder Al Bangura has won his fight to avoid deportation from Britain after a government work permit hearing found in his favor on Monday. Bangura was desperate to avoid being deported to his native Sierra Leone, where he feared his life would be in danger from a witchcraft cult. The 19-year-old fled the west African country when he was 15 because he feared his father's links to a voodoo sect would put his life in danger. Bangura's appeal to stay in Britain had been rejected but he was given the chance to apply for a work permit and his plea was successful. He came to Britain after first making his way from Sierra Leone to Guinea, helped by a Frenchman who he thought wanted to help his career. When he arrived in London, two men tried to rape him, and he said he only realized then that he had fallen victim to a people trafficker.
■ FORMULA ONE
Piquet Jr in Renault debut
Rookie driver Nelson Piquet Jr made his Renault debut on Monday, a day before teammate and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso marks his return to the French team. Piquet Jr, who drove in Renault's 2007 car, went around in one minute, 21.595 seconds to finish with the ninth-fastest lap time at the 4.423km Circuito de Jerez in Spain. The nine F1 teams got off to a slow start following morning rain. Alonso, who won back-to-back world championships with Renault in 2005 and 2006, returns for the first time since leaving McLaren after a turbulent season. Alonso's former teammate, Lewis Hamilton, was expected to test for McLaren yesterday. Ferrari dominated the first of three days of testing at Jerez, with drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa finishing 1-2. Raikkonen, the defending world champion, had a best time of 1:19.845 from 59 laps in his Ferrari F2008.
■ TENNIS
Kuerten set to retire: source
Three-time French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten was yesterday to announce that this would be his last year on the world tour. Kuerten will play only a few tournaments this year before ending his career, a person with knowledge of the announcement said on Monday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement hadn't been made yet. The 31-year-old Kuerten said on his official Web site that he was to announce his plans for the 2008 season in a press conference yesterday. Ranked 679th by the ATP tour, Kuerten was expected to play in the Brazil Open next month, and his farewell tournament could happen in Roland Garros, where he won the French Open in 1997, 2000 and 2001.
■ SOCCER
Morales complains to FIFA
Bolivian President Evo Morales on Monday accused FIFA of killing off soccer in high-altitude nations by making an adaptation period obligatory for matches played higher than 2,500m. "[It's a] way of cutting up the world ... a death sentence for the universality of soccer," Morales told the TVB television network. Bolivian Football Federation president Carols Chavez said on Friday that world soccer's governing body had set periods of adaptation for matches played at altitude, but FIFA have yet to officially confirm this. For matches above 2,750m, a period of adaptation of a week is obligatory and above 3,000m the rule will be not to play the match, except with a period of acclimatization of at least two weeks, Chavez said. The Bolivan capital La Paz is situated at 3,600m.
A sumo star was born in Japan on Sunday when 24-year-old Takerufuji became the first wrestler in 110 years to win a top-division tournament on his debut, triumphing at the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka despite injuring his ankle on the penultimate day. Takerufuji, whose injury had left him in a wheelchair outside the ring, shoved out the higher-ranked Gonoyama at the Edion Arena Osaka to the delight of the crowd, giving him an unassailable record of 13 wins and two losses to claim the Emperor’s Cup. “I did it just through willpower. I didn’t really know what was going
The US’ Ilia Malinin on Saturday produced six scintillating quadruple jumps, including a quadruple Axel, in the men’s free skate to capture his first figure skating world title. The 19-year-old nicknamed the “Quad god,” who is the only skater to land a quadruple Axel in competition, dazzled with an array of breathtakingly executed jumps starting with his quad Axel and including a quadruple Lutz in combination with a triple flip and a quadruple toe loop in combination with a triple toe. He added an unexpected triple-triple combination at the end to earn a world-record 227.79 in the free program for a championship
Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter is being criminally investigated by the IRS, and the attorney for his alleged bookmaker said Thursday that the ex-Los Angeles Dodgers employee placed bets on international soccer — but not baseball. The IRS confirmed Thursday that interpreter Ippei Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker, are under criminal investigation through the agency’s Los Angeles Field Office. IRS Criminal Investigation spokesperson Scott Villiard said he could not provide additional details. Mizuhara, 39, was fired by the Dodgers on Wednesday following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker and debts well
MLB on Friday announced a formal investigation into the scandal swirling around Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter amid charges that the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar was the victim of “massive theft.” The Dodgers on Wednesday fired Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s long-time interpreter and close friend, after Ohtani’s representatives alleged that the Japanese two-way star had been the victim of theft, which was reported to involve millions of dollars and link Mizuhara to a suspected illegal bookmaker in California. “Major League Baseball has been gathering information since we learned about the allegations involving Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara from the news media,” MLB