■ Akira Ogi dies at 70
A Japanese Hall of Famer and revered manager who coached major leaguers Ichiro Suzuki and Hideo Nomo has died of respiratory failure, his former team said. Akira Ogi, most recently manager of the Pacific League's Orix Buffaloes, passed away Thursday at a hospital in his home town of Fukuoka in western Japan, Orix said in a statement. He was 70. Ogi was an infielder for the defunct Nishitetsu Lions in 1954-1967 before starting a successful coaching career. He won the Pacific League championship with the Kintetsu Buffaloes in 1989 and with Orix in 1995 and 1996, going on to clinch the Japan Series in 1996.
■ Auto racing
Toyota ends IRL affiliation
Toyota will end its affiliation with the Indy Racing League a year earlier than planned, leaving Honda as the only engine supplier for the open-wheel series next season. Toyota originally planned to withdraw from the IRL after the 2006 season. Chevrolet left after this season, and the elite Penske Racing team announced last month it would switch from Toyota to Honda, which has committed to remaining at least through 2009. Toyota said Thursday it decided to withdraw a year ahead of schedule to allow the IRL to move to a common engine for all teams next year. Jim Aust, Toyota's vice president of motorsports, said winning the 2003 Indianapolis 500 with Gil de Ferran was Toyota's greatest motorsports accomplishment.
■ Cycling
Armstrong to face trial
Lance Armstrong has been ordered to stand trial in Italy on charges of defaming cyclist Filippo Simeoni. Armstrong's lawyer in Italy, Enrico Nan, said Thursday that the seven-time Tour de France champion was indicted on Wednesday and scheduled to go to trial on March 7. Nan said Armstrong does not face jail time, but he could be fined if found guilty. Armstrong is being investigated for pursuing Simeoni during an early stage breakaway in last year's Tour de France and reportedly threatening him for testifying about doping abuse in the trial of an Italian doctor associated with Armstrong. Simeoni told an Italian court in 2002 that doctor Michele Ferrari advised him to take performance-enhancing drugs. Later, Armstrong reportedly called Simeoni a liar, and the Italian sued the American for libel.
■ Auto racing
Michelin finished with F1
French tire maker Michelin said Wednesday it was pulling out of Formula One after the 2006 season, leaving Japanese-owned Bridgestone as the sport's only tire supplier. The future of Michelin has been in doubt since seven of 10 teams pulled out of the US Grand Prix on June 19 because of concerns over the safety of their Michelin tires. Only six cars ran in that race, all equipped with Bridgestone tires. The FIA, the world governing body of motor racing, and many teams have been pressing for a single tire manufacturer as a money saving measure.
Yu Yao-hsing on Tuesday nabbed Taiwan’s only goal in the final round of qualifiers for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, as they fell 3-1 to Sri Lanka at Taipei Municipal Stadium. Early goals from Sri Lanka in the first half left Taiwan struggling to get on the board, and Christopher Tiao’s own goal at 53 minutes sealed the team’s fate in the third round of qualifiers. While acknowledging that the defeat, Taiwan’s sixth in Group D, was disappointing, head coach Matt Ross said he saw reasons to stay positive about the team’s development. “There were lots of positive signs in terms of the
INDIGESTION: Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup for a third consecutive time after a 4-1 defeat to Bosnia on penalties in a loss Gattuso said was ‘difficult to digest’ Coach Graham Arnold on Tuesday challenged his players to “shock the world” after Iraq became the 48th and final team to qualify for the FIFA World Cup with a nerve-shredding 2-1 win over Bolivia in an intercontinental playoff in Mexico, as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey, the Czech Republic, Sweden and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) also secured their places at the finals. Iraq, whose preparations were disrupted by the war in the Middle East, sealed their first appearance at the finals in 40 years and are to play in Group I against France, Senegal and Norway. Goals from Ali al-Hamadi
“I don’t remember the moment, but ever since I was a kid, that’s the first thing I loved,” two-time NBA All-Star Isaiah Thomas said of his lifelong romance with basketball. However, that journey unfolded against the limitations of his size in a game where height often dictates opportunity — a reality he confronted throughout his career. At 175cm, Thomas is less than 2cm taller than the average Taiwanese adult male, while NBA players during his career stood at about 200cm on average. Compared with the NBA’s average career length of less than five years, Thomas’ 13-season career stands out as
Teng Kai-wei, the only Taiwanese player on an opening-day roster in this year’s Major League Baseball (MLB) season, took his first win of the year with the Houston Astros in his season debut. Teng entered in relief in the top of the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday, with the Astros trailing 5-0. He pitched 2-1/3 scoreless innings with two strikeouts, as Houston scored 11 runs during his outing to snatch an 11-9 comeback victory. The win is the Astros’ first of the season and the third of Teng’s MLB career. “It’s my first time pitching for the Astros, so
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