Hall of Fame manager Dick Williams dies
LAS VEGAS, July 7 (UPI) -- Dick Williams, a Hall of Fame manager who led the Oakland A's to back-to-back World Series crowns, died Thursday. He was 82.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported Williams died of a brain aneurysm.
"It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to Dick Williams today," said Oakland Athletics owner Lew Wolff. "He was a brilliant and feisty leader and universally recognized as one of the greatest managers in major league history."
Williams managed pennant winning teams in both leagues and guided Boston, the California Angels, Montreal, San Diego and Seattle in addition to Oakland. He compiled a career managerial record 1,571-1,451 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame by the veterans committee three years ago.
In his first season as a manager, Williams helped bring Boston the American League championship in 1967.
"Dick Williams inherited a Red Sox team that had finished with a losing record in eight consecutive seasons and immediately set a new tone and course," Boston owner John Henry said. "Dick was an outstanding leader who demanded excellence and accountability from all his players. The 1967 AL pennant forever changed baseball in New England."
Williams took over the Oakland franchise in 1971 and the A's won 101 games that season. Oakland captured the World Series over Cincinnati in 1972 and over the New York Mets in 1973. He also won a National League pennant while with San Diego in 1984.
Williams had a 13-year major league playing career, during which he batted .260 with 70 home runs and 331 RBI.
Jeter within two of 3,000 hits
NEW YORK, July 7 (UPI) -- Jeff Niemann limited New York to a run over 7 1/3 innings Thursday and B.J. Upton had three RBI in leading the Tampa Bay Rays past the Yankees 5-1.
New York's Derek Jeter led off the first inning with a double, but grounded out in his other three trips to the plate. That left him two shy of becoming the 28th player in major league history with 3,000 hits.
Three players have reached that milestone in the 21st Century, most recently Craig Biggio in 2007.
Niemann (4-4) allowed six hits and struck out four in helping the Rays win the opener of a four-game series. The teams had split their only other two meetings this season in games played in Florida.
Tampa Bay built a 5-0 lead through five innings, getting an RBI single in the first from Evan Longoria and a solo homer from Ben Zobrist in the third. Upton singled in a run later in the third and produced a two-run homer in the fifth, his 14th of the season.
All those runs came off Bartolo Colon (6-4), who allowed 10 hits and walked five in 5 2/3 innings.
Rains disrupt U.S. Women's Open
COLORADO SPRINGS, July 7 (UPI) -- Former champion Cristie Kerr shared the lead Thursday when a thunderstorm typical of the Rocky Mountain foothills suspended play at the U.S. Women's Open.
Only 24 players had completed the opening round of the year's third major championship on the women's tour when storms rolled in off the mountains. Most of those with afternoon tee times were unable to begin play.
Kerr, the world's second-ranked player, who captured this event in 2007, was 2-under par through 15 holes at the Broadmoor Resort's East Course. She began play on the back nine and had birdied the fifth and sixth holes shortly before the rains came.
She was tied for the lead with amateur Amy Anderson, who was at 2-under through 12 holes.
Inbee Park, the 2008 champion, Ai Miyazato and Silvia Cavalleri were at 1-under. Park had one hole to play, Miyazato had three holes left and Cavalleri had completed only the opening hole when the action was halted.
The best round among those who had finished was the 73 turned in by Kristy McPherson.
Tournament officials said the first round would continue at 7:45 a.m. local time Friday.
Among those who had yet to get under way was world No. 1 Yani Tseng, who at age 22 is trying to become the youngest player to complete the career grand slam. Tseng recently won the LPGA Championship by 10 shots.
Tseng will be paired with defending champion Paula Creamer.
First Tour stage win for Hagen
LISIEUX, France, July 7 (UPI) -- Edvald Boasson Hagen used a late sprint to overtake the leaders Thursday and claim his first Tour de France stage.
Hagen had perhaps started a similar kick too early in Wednesday's stage and ended up back in the pack. But he was more patient Thursday, waiting until the final yards before pushing ahead.
He was able to hold off Matthew Harley Goss and overall leader Thor Hushovd, who finished second and third, respectively, and win the 140.7-mile Stage 6 run from Dinan to Lisieux. He covered the route in 5 hours, 13 minutes, 37 seconds.
Rainy conditions across the route forced the riders to be cautious. That kept the riders bunched, and 62 of them were credited with the same time as Hagen.
Hushovd retained his 1-second lead over Cadel Evans, who was 12th in Thursday's stage, and he is 4 seconds ahead of Frank Schleck, who crossed the line in Lisieux 40th.
Friday's Stage 7 covers 135.5 miles from Le Mans to Chateauroux as the tour heads southeast into central France. It is the flattest section to be contested in this year's Tour de France.
