■BASEBALL
Dodgers veteran to quit
Jeff Kent the leading home run hitter as a second baseman, was due to formally retire yesterday, the Los Angeles Dodgers said in a statement on Wednesday. The 40-year-old five-times All-Star will draw the curtain on a 17-year career in the majors, having spent the last four seasons with the Dodgers. Kent, whose 351 career homers as a second baseman are 74 more than Ryne Sandberg, will retire with a .290 career batting average, 1,518 RBIs and a .500 slugging percentage.
■SOCCER
International ends in chaos
Thailand’s King’s Cup match against Lebanon descended into chaos on Wednesday when the Middle East side twice walked off the pitch. Team staff and security guards twice had to enter the field to stop fights triggered by repeated scuffling between Lebanon’s Zakaria Charara and Thai defender Suree Sukha during the hosts’ 2-1 win in Phuket. With 14 minutes remaining, in an apparent case of mistaken identity, Charara struck Surat Sukha in the head in retaliation for his twin brother Suree’s earlier foul. After the ensuing brawl, Lebanon stormed off the field in protest and were told to remain on the sidelines by incensed coach Emile Rustom, who had to be talked into resuming the match by Thai soccer president Worawi Makudi. Five minutes later, Suree escaped a booking by the Thai referee after another vicious tackle on Charara, who started another melee by slapping Suree and captain Datsakorn Thonglao in the face. Lebanon again left the field in protest but returned five minutes later, only for the embattled referee to blow the final whistle prematurely to prevent further brawling.
■FOOTBALL
Cops nab bungling fans
Two bungling Arizona Cardinals fans were arrested for vandalizing the lawn of Philadelphia quarterback Donovan McNabb after leaving police a key clue — a name and address label sticker. Rex Perkins, 37, and Ryan Hanlon, 28, were arrested on Sunday after three “pranks” at the home of McNabb, who lives in a gated community in suburban Phoenix but played for the team that Arizona faced last week in the playoffs. The Cardinals defeated Philadelphia on Sunday to book a trip to their first Super Bowl. McNabb was angered early on Saturday morning when diesel fuel was used to burn the words “Go Cards” “Go Kurt” and “I (heart) AZ” on his lawn. In a prior incident a cardboard box and sign reading “Go Cards” and “Beat Philly” were placed in McNabb’s yard. The box contained a sticker with Perkins’ name and address on it. After police arrived following the lawn burning, McNabb showed them the box and they went to Perkins’ home, where he confessed and named Hanlon as an accomplice.
■FOOTBALL
Group wants test for Vick
An animal treatment watchdog group wants disgraced former NFL star Michael Vick to undergo mental tests before he can be reinstated. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sent a letter to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Wednesday saying Vick should be checked to see if he is a psychopath before having any chance of a return to the NFL. Vick is serving a prison sentence on conspiracy charges in connection with his financing of a dogfight gambling ring. Evidence in the case showed he killed dogs in such brutal manners as drowning, beating and electrocution.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
The famously raucous Hong Kong Sevens are to start today in a big test for a shiny new stadium at the heart of a major US$3.85 billion sports park in the territory. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the premier event in Hong Kong’s sporting and social calendar goes off without a hitch at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium. They hope to entice major European soccer teams to visit in the next few months, with reports in December last year saying that Liverpool were in talks about a pre-season tour. Coldplay are to perform there next month, all part of Hong Kong’s
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Marcus Rashford’s first goals for Aston Villa on Sunday inspired a 3-0 win against Preston North End that sent his side into the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 10 years. Rashford struck twice in the second half at Deepdale to end Preston’s stubborn resistance before Jacob Ramsey wrapped up Villa’s long-awaited return to the last four. Villa are to face Crystal Palace — 3-0 winners at Fulham on Saturday — in the semi-finals at Wembley Stadium in London. Revitalized since joining Villa on loan from Manchester United during the January transfer window, Rashford is beginning to show the form that
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