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Selig responds to Capitol Hill letter

NEW YORK, April 9 (UPI) -- Major League Commissioner Bud Selig has not said whether he would grant a request from Capitol Hill to continue the annual Hall of Fame game after this year.

The savethegame.com Web site Wednesday obtained a copy of a letter that Selig sent to Sen. Hillary Clinton and Reps. Michael Arcuri and Maurice Hinchey, all D-N.Y.

In an earlier letter, the trio asked Selig to reverse the decision to end the annual contest, played at the hall of fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.

"Commissioner Selig … sweeps the central issue under the rug in favor of self-congratulating or hollow statements," the original statement from the legislators said. "It's insulting to the senators and representatives that have expressed their desire to see the tradition continue, and insulting to baseball fans across the globe."

"Preserving the Hall of Fame Game is a relatively easy way to help restore and retain the (game's) values and traditions," Selig conceded in his response.

Selig did not say whether or not he would reverse the decision.

Venus Williams on hiatus in women's tennis

AMELIA ISLAND, Fla., April 9 (UPI) -- U.S. star Venus Williams has taken a leave of absence from the women's tennis tour.

She did not give a reason for the hiatus.

"I've just been having some issues that I need to resolve, so I'm working on that at the moment and I'm hoping to be back playing as soon as possible," she was quoted as saying Tuesday on the Play Tennis Florida Web site at this week's Bausch and Lomb Championships at Amelia Island, Fla.

The former world No. 1 has withdrawn from the event.

"I'm not going to get any further into it, but of course I love the sport."

The Web site also said that she showed up at the event to perform media obligations and sign autographs.

Other reports said that she made a trip to downtown Jacksonville to see a doctor, but those reports were not confirmed on Wednesday.

She added that she wants to try to play in the French Open in Paris in late May.

NASCAR penalizes Ryan Newman

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., April 9 (UPI) -- Ryan Newman has been penalized 25 points for failing a post-race inspection after winning last Sunday's Samsung 500 Sprint Cup auto race in Fort Worth, Texas.

NASCAR announced the penalty on Tuesday, saying that Newman violated Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used do not conform to NASCAR rules); and 12.8.1C (right rear quarter panel height did not meet the required specification; too high in post race inspection) of the 2008 NASCAR rule book.

The right-rear of his Dodge was found to be 1/8 of an inch above what is allowed.

Car owner Roger Penske was docked 25 championship owner points while crew chief Roy McCauley also was fined $25,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31.

"It is always our intention to follow NASCAR's rules, and we regret this mistake," Penske Racing official Michael Nelson said in a statement.

The penalty dropped Newman from eighth to 10th in the points standings.

Newspaper queries Canadiens' red ink claim

MONTREAL, April 9 (UPI) -- Claims by the playoffs-bound Montreal Canadiens' president the club didn't make any money this year are being challenged by a city newspaper.

In an interview with the French-language La Presse, Pierre Boivin said any profit the team earns will come from playoff games, which begin Thursday for the team.

However, The Gazette newspaper questioned the statement, citing a sellout streak of 141 games, approximate attendance revenue of $61 million along with concession sales, where beer costs $10 and hot dogs are $6.

The Gazette also estimated half of the fans at each game wear $300 team jerseys and are inundated with advertising on the boards and scoreboard. It also mentioned broadcast revenue, but said exact figures for any of the income don't have to be reported as the team is owned by a private company.

Last November, Forbes magazine estimated the Canadiens were worth $283 million, fourth in the 30-team NHL, behind the Toronto Maple Leafs at $413 million, New York Rangers at $365 million and the Detroit Red Wings at $293 million.