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Series opener to be played after rain

NEW YORK, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- A soaking rain in the New York area will taper off to lighter rain and drizzle for Game 1 of the World Series Wednesday night, Weather.com said.

AccuWeather meteorologists expect the bulk of the rain to leave the New York area, but there will be areas of lingering lighter rain and drizzle, meaning players may have to deal with a soggy outfield and fans should be prepared for damp, chilly weather conditions.

The Fall Classic between the Yankees and 2008 World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies is scheduled to start Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.

The Web site said dry weather will return to the Northeast Thursday and Friday, but there could be rain from a storm in the Northeast when the series shifts to Philadelphia for Game 3 Saturday.

The Game 1 starters are former Cleveland teammates Cliff Lee of Philadelphia and New York's CC Sabathia.

Hasselbeck: Daughter OK after accident

SEATTLE, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck says his week off from the NFL schedule was marred by an accident involving his 6-year-old daughter.

Hasselbeck's daughter, Mallory Hasselbeck, 6, who suffered injuries to her left arm and mouth in a dirt bike accident while the family was vacationing in Chelan, Wash., was treated at Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee, Wash., SeattlePI.com reported.

The Web site said she was also treated at Children's Hospital upon her return to Seattle.

"Worst bye week ever," Hasselbeck reportedly wrote on his Twitter page. "6 year old daughter got hit by a dirt bike. We spent our time at the hospital with her having surgery & recovering. Many thanks to the dentist in Wenatchee we saw & the staff at ER at CWHospital. And of course to everyone at Children's Hospital Seattle."

The quarterback added, "We'll miss basketball season but she'll recover. Glad the bye week is over--- for a lot of reasons. Time to get back to work."

SeattlePI.com reported Hasselbeck himself just returned from broken ribs suffered in the second game of the season.

Father of Chiefs' Johnson opposes slurs

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 28 (UPI) -- The father of Kansas City Chiefs star Larry Johnson said the NFL running back was raised not to utter derogatory slurs.

Speaking in the wake of his son apologizing for uttering gay slurs in public twice during a 24-hour period, Larry Johnson Sr. explained how he taught his son not to use derogatory or hateful words, The Kansas City (Mo.) Star reported Tuesday.

"That's just not who we are and not what we believe," Johnson Sr., 56, said. "It's not how he was raised."

Johnson, 29, used a gay slur on his Twitter profile in reference to Chiefs coach Todd Haley, before using another gay slur while speaking with reporters Monday morning.

While the younger Johnson apologized Tuesday, he was instructed by his NFL team to stay away from the Chiefs' headquarters and team activities.

Johnson remains on the Chief's roster and will still be paid despite the team's response to his recent comments, the Star reported.

An unidentified NFL spokesman said league officials are investigating the incident involving the Chiefs' running back.

Youzhny wins St. Petersburg opener

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Top-seeded Mikhail Youzhny of Russia beat Kazakhstan's Andrey Golubev 6-3, 6-2 Wednesday in a first-round match at the St. Petersburg Open in Russia.

The 2004 St. Petersburg champion, also last week's winner at Moscow's Kremlin Cup, was joined in Wednesday's winner's circle by retiring compatriot Marat Safin, a two-time St. Petersburg champion; No. 2 Victor Hanescu of Romania

, a 6-3 6-4 second-round winner over Ukraine's Illya Marchenko; Latvia's Ernests Gulbis, who downed No. 4 seed Jeremy Chardy of France 7-6 (9-7), 6-3; No. 8 Horacio Zeballos of Argentina, a 6-3, 6-1 winner over Ukraine's Oleksandr Dolgopolov Jr.; and Russian Igor Kunitsyn, who topped seventh-seeded Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay 6-4, 6-3.

Elsewhere, Germany's Bjorn Phau beat Slovakian Karol Beck 6-4, 2-1, when Beck retired because of a respiratory illness.

The eventual St. Petersburg champion will earn a $115,150 winner's check.