Several Mets make NL All-Star team
NEW YORK, July 2 (UPI) -- The National League All-Star squad named Sunday includes six members of the National League East-leading New York Mets.
The starters will be third baseman David Wright, outfielder Carlos Beltran, shortstop Jose Reyes and catcher Paul Lo Duca of the Mets; first baseman Albert Pujols of St. Louis; second baseman Chase Utley of Philadelphia; and outfielders Jason Bay of Pittsburgh and Alfonso Soriano of Washington.
Some of the pitchers chosen were left-hander Tom Glavine and right-hander Pedro Martinez of the Mets; right-handers Carlos Zambrano of the Chicago Cubs; Bronson Arroyo of Cincinnati; Jason Schmidt of San Francisco; Brad Penny of the Los Angeles Dodgers; and Chris Carpenter of St. Louis.
The Final Man Candidates, who will be selected by the fans, include first baseman Nomar Garciaparra of the Dodgers and pitcher Billy Wagner of the Mets.
The team will be guided by Houston Manager Phil Garner.
The game is July 11 in Pittsburgh.
White Sox dominate AL All-Star team
NEW YORK, July 2 (UPI) -- Six members of the Chicago White Sox were named Sunday night to the American League All-Star team.
The team will be guided by White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen.
Pitchers Jose Contreras, Mark Buehrle and Bobby Jenks; first baseman Jim Thome; and outfielders Paul Konerko and Jermaine Dye will represent the White Sox.
First baseman David Ortiz, second baseman Mark Loretta and outfielder Manny Ramirez of Boston; third baseman Alex Rodriguez and shortstop Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees; and outfielders Ichiro Suzuki of Seattle and Vladimir Guerrero of the LA Angels, were also named to the AL squad.
Thome, Contreras and Dye were elected by the players. Jenks, Buehrle and Konerko were picked by Guillen.
The roster could include a seventh White Sox player because catcher A.J. Pierzynski is one of five finalists for the American League Final Man Voting -- as are Cleveland first baseman Travis Hafner, Baltimore catcher Ramon Hernandez, Minnesota southpaw Francisco Liriano and Detroit right-hander Justin Verlander.
Schumacher wins the U.S. Grand Prix
INDIANAPOLIS, July 2 (UPI) -- Michael Schumacher captured Sunday's United States Grand Prix Formula One race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
His No. 5 Ferrari crossed the finish line nearly eight seconds ahead of teammate Felipe Massa.
It was the third victory of the season for the seven-time world champion and the 87th of his Formula One auto racing career.
Giancarlo Fisichella (Renault), Jarno Trulli (Toyota), Fernando Alonso (Renault), Rubens Barrichello (Honda), David Coulthard (RBR-Ferrari) and Vitantonio Liuzzi (STR-Cosworth) finished 3 through 8 to complete the points-scoring positions.
The fifth-place finish by F1 points leader Alonso earned him four points. His lead over Schumacher is 88-69.
"We can only hope to keep some of the edge we had this weekend and transform it into the European season," Schumacher said.
"There are eight races and 80 points to come. Nineteen points behind is not a lot. I think we can do it."
Beckham resigns as England captain
BADEN-BADEN, Germany, July 2 (UPI) -- David Beckham announced Sunday he is resigning as captain of the England soccer team, although he will continue to play for England.
The Real Madrid midfielder, one of the world's most famous athletes, held a press conference Sunday morning, The Telegraph reported. Beckham's announcement followed the team's 3-1 quarter-final loss to Portugal in a penalty shootout Saturday.
"I came to this decision a long time ago, but hoped to announce it on the back of a successful World Cup," Beckham said.
Sven-Goran Eriksson, who is being replaced as coach by Steve McClaren, said there are plenty of players ready to become captain.
Beckham has led the team since 2000.
"I have lived the dream," he said. "I'm extremely proud to have worn the armband and been captain of England, for that I will always be grateful."
Local favorite J.J. Henry wins Buick title
CROMWELL, Conn., July 2 (UPI) -- J.J. Henry, a Fairfield, Conn., native, shot a 3-under 67 Sunday to take the PGA's Buick Championship at Cromwell, Conn., by three strokes.
Henry earned his first PGA Tour win, finishing at 14-under 266, and collecting a first-place check of $792,000.
"To grow up here in the state of Connecticut and to come here as a young guy who was wet behind the ears, and watch the guys hit balls on the range and following some groups around, I thought how cool it would be some day if I could be one of those guys," said Henry, who has been on the tour for six years.
Ryan Moore, the 2004 NCAA Champion and U.S. Amateur winner, matched Henry's closing-round 67 to finish in a tie for second place with Hunter Mahan (65) at 11-under 269.
Australian Nathan Green (66) finished fourth at 9-under 271.
Sorenstam and Hurst in U.S. Open playoff
NEWPORT, R.I., July 2 (UPI) -- Annika Sorenstam and Pat Hurst were tied for the lead Sunday and headed for a playoff at the end of regulation in the U.S. Women's Open in Newport, R.I.
Sorenstam and Hurst will meet in an 18-hole playoff at 9 a.m. Monday, after finishing the regulation 72 holes at even-par 284. Hurst shot a 2-under 69 Sunday and Sorenstam closed with an even-par 71.
Michelle Wie was tied for the lead until she bogeyed the 13th. She finished the round at 2-over 73, and ended the tournament tied for third with reigning LPGA Champion Se Ri Pak (69) and Stacy Prammanasudh (72) at 2-over 286.
Quigley repeats at Kansas City
OVERLAND PARK, Kan., July 2 (UPI) -- Dana Quigley shot a course-record 9-under 63 Sunday to defend his title at the Greater Kansas City Golf Classic in Overland Park, Kan.
Quigley finished at 18-under 198 for the come-from-behind victory -- his 11th on the Champions Tour and his third at the Greater Kansas City event. He previously won the tournament in 2000.
David Edwards led after two rounds and closed with a 4-under 68 Sunday to finished second at 15-under 201. Joe Ozaki (66) and Brad Bryant (70) tied for third at minus-12.
Bickerton captures the French Open
PARIS, July 2 (UPI) -- England's John Bickerton was a one-shot winner Sunday at the French Open Golf Tournament in Paris for his first European Tour win.
He shot 2-under-par 69 in the final round, overcame a double-bogey at No. 15 and finished ahead of runner-up Padraig Harrington (69) of Ireland.
Bickerton was 11-under 273, and Harrington finished 10-under 274.
"I've been out here a long time and it's nice to put some icing on the cake," said Bickerton. "It is exciting. I am going to go back to England and see my son tomorrow. He is going to be over the moon. It just makes it all worthwhile."
New Zealand's Michael Campbell (73), Marcus Fraser (69) of Austria and Ian Poulter (69) of England tied for fifth place with scores of 8-under 276.
Last year's champion, Jean-Francois Remesy (73) of France finished 1-over 285, tied for 40th with seven other players.
Mavericks sign top pick Maurice Ager
DALLAS, July 2 (UPI) -- Shooting guard Maurice Ager, a first-round draft pick last week, has signed a contract with the Dallas Mavericks.
No terms were disclosed.
The 6-foot-5 inch, 202-pound Ager was the 28th overall selection in the draft.
In his senior campaign at Michigan State, he averaged 19.3 points per game and was named Second Team All-Big Ten.
Ager finished 11th in career scoring at MSU with 1,554 points, was fourth in three-point field goals made (202) and third in three-point field goals attempted (532).
"We are excited about taking Maurice Ager with our late first-round pick," said Coach Avery Johnson on the Mavericks' Web site. "He was a four-year player at Michigan State for Tom Izzo and improved every year. He fits into our system and fills a need for us as a guard who can play tough defense and solid offense."
Cremins to coach at College of Charleston
CHARLESTON, S.C., July 2 (UPI) -- Bobby Cremins Sunday was named men's basketball coach at the College of Charleston in South Carolina.
The Charleston (S.C.) Post-Courier reported Cremins' hiring. He succeeds Tom Herrion, who was fired on June 13 despite a 17-11 overall record last season.
"I want to help the Cougars," Cremins told the paper.
"Bobby is going to take the College of Charleston to different tournaments because of his name," said George Felton, a scout for the Indiana Pacers who played with Cremins at South Carolina in the early 1970s.
The Cougars were 9-6 in the Southern Conference, but much more was expected. They lost to Chattanooga, 65-63, in the first round of the conference tournament, and were not invited to either the NCAA or National Invitation tournaments.
Cremins, the former head coach at Georgia Tech and several other schools, has 452 career victories and his teams have qualified for 11 NCAA Tournaments.
He has been an analyst on ACC telecasts.
