Mitchell to head baseball steroid probe
NEW YORK, March 30 (UPI) -- Commissioner Bud Selig named former Sen. George Mitchell to lead an investigation into past usage of performance-enhancing drugs by baseball players.
Selig made the announcement Thursday at a news conference at his New York office.
The publication of "Game of Shadows," which alleges San Francisco slugger Bobby Bonds took performance-enhancing drugs beginning in 1998 for five years, spurred the inquiry. Bonds, who attempted to block publication of the book, told a congressional hearing he never used steroids.
Major League Baseball instituted random drug testing in 2003.
Broadhurst has the lead in Portugal
CASCAIS, Portugal, March 30 (UPI) -- With an 8-under-par 64 on Thursday, defending champion Paul Broadhurst has the lead after one round of the Algarve Open de Portugal at Cascais.
The British-born Broadhurst tied the course record at the Le Meridien Penina, set by Robert Karlsson and Terry Price. The early starter had seven birdies, an eagle and just one bogey -- and was in the clubhouse as the lead stood up through the day.
"It's nice to go low. I haven't been that low for years," said Broadhurst, who needed just 24 putts in the round.
Christian Nilsson of Sweden, who bogeyed 18, carded 7-under-par 65 to grab second place. Christian Cevaer of France is one stroke further back in third at 6-under 66.
Richard Finch, Jarmo Sandelin, Paul Lawrie, Nicolas Colsaerts, Rafael Gomez and Carl Suneson are tied for fourth at 4-under 68.
There are 23 players within five shots of the leader.
Ex-NHL player must serve time in U.S.
ST. LOUIS, March 30 (UPI) -- Former National Hockey League player Mike Danton, who pleaded guilty to plotting to kill his agent, failed in his bid to serve his prison sentence in Canada.
Danton, 25, originally of Brampton, Ontario, played one season with the St. Louis Blues before launching a failed plot to have his agent and mentor slain. The FBI was tipped off, and the target, David Frost, was not injured.
Danton, currently in a federal prison at Fort Dix, N.J., was sentenced to 7 1/2 in prison. He asked to serve his time in Canada but the Justice Department's international prisoner transfer unit turned him down after a year's deliberation, the St. Louis Post Dispatch said. The agency cited the seriousness of Danton's crime and said a transfer "would not serve the ends of justice."
Danton must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence under U.S. rules but would have had a chance at earlier release under Canada's parole policies.
Stolen Payton rings recovered
AURORA, Ill., March 30 (UPI) -- Two rings stolen from Chicago Bears great Walter Payton have been recovered after two men tried to pawn them, police say.
The rings, one of which Payton was given when he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993 and the other a $2,000 replica of his Super Bowl XX prize, were stolen from the glass case at Walter Payton's Roundhouse restaurant in Aurora sometime between 3 and 10 p.m. Monday.
The suspects allegedly took the rings to a Chicago pawnshop where they got $150, the Aurora Beacon News reported. The dealer recognized the jewelry and called police.
