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Hundreds attend Rangers fan's funeral

BROWNWOOD, Texas, July 11 (UPI) -- Texas firefighter Shannon Stone, who died in a fall from the stands at Rangers Ballpark last week, was remembered Monday in a service attended by hundreds.

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The body of the 39-year-old Brownwood, Texas, man was transported from the First United Methodist Church to Jordan Springs Cemetery on a city fire engine in a procession watched by throngs of local residents, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.

The church service was broadcast on closed-circuit television to accommodate the overflow crowd, while pews near the front of the sanctuary were reserved for baseball and soccer teammates of Stone's 6-year-old son Cooper, the newspaper said.

Also in attendance were Texas Rangers President Nolan Ryan and team Senior Executive Vice President Jim Sundberg.

Witnesses and the Arlington Fire Department said Stone lunged to catch a foul ball outfielder Josh Hamilton threw into the center field stands during a game last Thursday.

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He fell 20 feet head first over the rail onto concrete. Another fan saw Stone leaning over the rail and grabbed his shirt but could not hold on to him.


Police shoot, kill ex-Bengal Deacon Turner

BAKERSFIELD, Calif., July 11 (UPI) -- Former Cincinnati Bengals running back Deacon Turner was killed by police last weekend outside a store in Bakersfield, Calif., authorities said Monday.

The Kern County Sheriff's Office said Turner was shot by a deputy Sunday morning during an altercation in the parking lot of a convenience store.

Authorities said Turner, 56, allegedly hit a deputy in the back of the head with a bag containing two 24-ounce cans of beer before being shot, and died a short time after being transported to a nearby hospital.

The sheriff's office said deputies went to the store on reports of a group of juveniles soliciting adults to buy them alcohol and cigarettes.

They confronted Turner, who was with his 19-year-old son and a 16-year-old juvenile, while allegedly carrying items he had purchased at the store, including alcohol.

After initially complying with the officers, he allegedly became combative and struck the officer in the head before being shot twice by another deputy.

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The Bakersfield Californian reported Turner had had several run-ins with the law since playing for the Bengals from 1978 to 1980.

He played 44 career games, rushing for 549 yards and scoring two touchdowns.


ESPN sues OSU for Tressel e-mails

COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 11 (UPI) -- Sports broadcaster ESPN filed suit Monday in Ohio seeking access to e-mails involving former Ohio State football Coach Jim Tressel, documents indicated.

The broadcaster filed suit in Ohio Supreme Court against Ohio State University, claiming it wrongfully withheld e-mails and other documents written by Tressel, OSU President Gordon Gee and others related to Pennsylvania businessman Ted Sarniak, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer reported.

Sarniak was a key figure in a "tattoos for memorabilia scandal" that ultimately cost Tressel his job and prompted quarterback Terrelle Pryor to leave OSU and apply for the NFL's supplementary draft.

Sarniak, described as Pryor's mentor, was identified as having received forwarded copies from Tressel of e-mails written by a Columbus attorney alleging Pryor and other players had exchanged signed OSU memorabilia in exchange for tattoos.

Tressel didn't make the school or NCAA officials aware of the allegations, a probe revealed.

ESPN claims OSU cited the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act in denying it access to the documents, The Plain Dealer reported.

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"It is impossible to imagine that Congress had any interest in restricting the flow of information about shady deals at a tattoo parlor when it passed FERPA in 1974," ESPN attorneys claimed.


Jeter's All-Star absence irks some

PHOENIX, July 11 (UPI) -- The absence of New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter from this week's All-Star Game festivities isn't sitting well with some in the game.

Jeter, whose milestone 3,000th hit on a home run Saturday electrified the baseball world, declined to participate in the mid-summer classic or to go to Phoenix to make an appearance, drawing the ire of some Major League Baseball officials, the New York Daily News reported.

"Derek Jeter has done everything right during his whole career," an unnamed league official told the newspaper. "He was wrong on this one."

The official reportedly said MLB would have liked Jeter to celebrate his achievement with an appearance, tipping his cap before returning to New York.

"I do believe, as a ballplayer, if you have no injuries, you should be here," New York Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran said. "The fans are the ones that vote for you and want to see you here."

Jeter decided to skip the festivities because of "emotional and physical exhaustion" from his pursuit of 3,000 hits, two unnamed people "with knowledge of his mindset" told FoxSports.com.

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The Yankees star needed more than just one day to "decompress" from the pressure, the broadcaster reported.

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