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Nalbandian-Ferrer match to start Davis Cup

MAR DEL PLATA, Spain, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- World No. 11 David Nalbandian gets the call for the first match for the host Argentineans against Spain's David Ferrer in this weekend's Davis Cup final.

The Nalbandian-Ferrer match to kickoff the best-of-five Davis Cup title series was announced Thursday. Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro goes against Spain's Feliciano Lopez in the other singles match Friday.

Ferrer is 6-3 in his career against Nalbandian while del Potro won two of his three meetings with Lopez.

In a doubles match Saturday, Spain's Lopez and Fernando Verdasco are to face the host country's Jose Acasuso and Agustin Calleri. Sunday's schedule calls for reverse singles with Nalbandian going against Lopez and del Potro playing Ferrer.

Also available for the Spanish team is Marcel Granollers, tapped by captain Emilio Sanchez when world No. 1 Rafael Nadal withdrew because of a knee injury.

Argentina, which is 13-0 when it is the host of a Davis Cup series, opted for an indoor hard court. The Spanish team is known to favor a clay court. A win this weekend would mark the first Davis Cup title for Argentina. The Spaniards, who won in 2000 and 2004, are looking for their third championship.

Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina retires

NEW YORK, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- Right-handed pitcher Mike Mussina, who collected his first 20-victory season last year in his 18th major-league season, has retired.

Mussina, 39, amassed a 270-153 record over a career that began with the Baltimore Orioles in 1991. He pitched for the Orioles for 10 seasons and the last eight for the New York Yankees before announcing Thursday he was retiring.

He was 20-9 in 2008 with a 3.37 earned run average, becoming the oldest pitcher to collect 20 wins in a season. He also was awarded his seventh Gold Glove for fielding excellence.

Mussina was credited with 2,813 strikeouts over his career, which is 19th on the all-time list. His winning percentage of .638 is sixth best among pitchers who have at least 500 career starts.

He walked 785 batters over 3,562 2/3 career innings, a rate of 1.98 walks every nine innings. Only two other pitchers -- Cy Young and Jack Quinn -- pitched at least 3,000 innings and walked an average of less than two batters every nine innings.

Mussina never won the Cy Young Award but finished at least sixth in the voting nine times. He was second in 1999 to Boston's Pedro Martinez and sixth this season.

Credits for school athletes OK'd in Texas

AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- The State Board of Education of Texas has passed a proposal to offer high school student athletes additional credits for taking part in sports.

Republican board member Geraldine Miller opposed the education measure, which passed 10-5 this week, saying such additional credits for athletes goes against the state's attempt to focus on academics, The Dallas Morning News said Thursday.

"Our school reform movement put everything in perspective, with academics coming first," she said regarding Wednesday's board ruling. "Now, we are opening the door to water down all the efforts we have made to strengthen standards in our schools."

Brenham High School Coach Craig Agnew countered such claims at the board hearing, citing how high school students in band, dance and choir get credit for such school efforts.

"All we're looking for is equal treatment," Agnew said. "The evidence supporting the benefits of sports participation by students is overwhelming."

The Morning News said details regarding the athlete credit system will be determined by the Texas Education Agency.

Hal Steinbrenner takes control of Yankees

NEW YORK, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- Hal Steinbrenner, the son of George Steinbrenner, has been approved by other Major League baseball owners to take control of the New York Yankees.

George Steinbrenner has been the principal owner of the Yankees since 1973 but is thought to be in poor health. His sons Hank and Hal were named co-chairmen last April to handle the day-to-day operations of the team.

Hal Steinbrenner, who handled the team's financial operations for the last year, will be the liaison between the Yankees and the commissioner's office. Hank Steinbrenner will continue to oversee the team's baseball operations. He has been the more vocal of the two brothers.

George Steinbrenner, 78, has seen the Yankees win seven World Series titles in his time as principal owner. He is perhaps better known for his very hands-on approach to running the team and the hiring and firing of managers. His last public appearance was during last summer's All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium but he wasn't on hand this fall when the team had its final game at that stadium.

Bengals deactivate receiver Ocho Cinco

PITTSBURGH, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- Cincinnati wide receiver Chad Ocho Cinco was deactivated for Thursday's contest at Pittsburgh for a violation of a team rule.

The team didn't disclose details in a tersely worded statement Thursday morning from its downtown hotel and said there would be no other announcement until after the game.

Brad Johansen, the Bengals' radio play-by-play man, said on the team's Web site that he spoke to Ocho Cinco by phone from what sounded like the airport and the receiver told him he "begged and begged," Coach Marvin Lewis not to sit him after he overslept and missed a team meeting Wednesday night.

The volatile eight-year NFL veteran was the center of attention much of the last offseason when he lobbied for a trade and threatened to sit out if he wasn't dealt to another team.

He abandoned his quest after the Bengals refused, and later, reported to minicamp.

In nine games, he has scored four touchdowns on 41 receptions for 383 yards.