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In Sports from United Press International

Carter soars in early all-star voting

New York, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Toronto's Vince Carter apparently is still the favorite of NBA fans. After leading all players in balloting the last two seasons, the high-flying forward of the Toronto Raptors broke out of the gate quickly with 471,255 votes after the first returns for the 2002 All-Star Game were announced on Tuesday.

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Guard Allen Iverson of the Philadelphia 76ers -- the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player -- is second among Eastern Conference players in the balloting with 284,368 votes.

Michael Jordan, the most popular player in the history of the NBA, returned to play with the Washington Wizards after a three-year retirement and is third among Eastern Conference players with 271,598 votes.

Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. who have led the Los Angeles Lakers to back-to-back NBA titles, are 1-2 in Western Conference voting. O'Neal tops the centers with 408,406 votes and Bryant received 363,184 votes.

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Starters for the 51st All-Star Game, scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 10 in Philadelphia, is determined in fan balloting that will continue through Jan. 13. NBA coaches will vote for the remaining members of the All-Star teams in their respective conferences.


Hitchcock gets new Yankee contract

NEW YORK, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Left-hander Sterling Hitchcock signed a new two-year contract with the New York Yankees Tuesday,reportedly worth $12 million.

Hitchcock, 30, will be slotted as the fourth or fifth starter in a high-priced rotation headed by Roger Clemens, Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte and Orlando Hernandez.

The Yankees may also be interested in bringing back free agent left-hander David Wells.

Re-acquired by the Yankees from San Diego last July, Hitchcock went 4-4 with a 6.49 ERA in 10 appearances and won Game Foive of the World Series.


Knoblauch gets Royal treatment

KANSAS CITY, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- The Kansas City Royals dipped into the free agent market Tuesday to sign outfielder Chuck Knoblauch, hoping he is the leadoff man they were seeking.

Knoblauch was a part of three World Series championship teams while playing for the New York Yankees the last four seasons. He also was a member of the Minnesota Twins' World Series championship club in his rookie season in 1991.

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A four-time All Star and the American League Rookie of the Year in 1991, Knoblauch will try to revitalize his career with the Royals after hitting a career-low .250 last season. Throwing problems forced a shift to left field from second base where he played the first 11 years of his career.


Giants skipper has surgery

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- San Francisco Giants Manager Dusty Baker was recovering Tuesday from surgery for prostate cancer. He is expected to be at full strength when spring training begins in February.

The cancer was discovered in an early-detection screening process shortly after the regular season and was found to be in its earliest stages, the team said.

The three-hour procedure was performed Monday. A biopsy of the surrounding lymph nodes was negative.

Baker, 52, is a three-time Manager of the Year with the Giants and the winningest skipper in San Francisco history, going 745-649 in nine seasons. He also was an All-Star outfielder with Los Angeles.


Marshall, East Carolina in Alabama Bowl

MOBILE, Ala., Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Marshall, ranked 25th with a 10-2 record but dethroned as Mid-American Conference champions, takes on East Carolina in the GMAC/Mobile Alabama Bowl Wednesday night.

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Colorado State and North Texas got the bowl season under way Tuesday night in the inaugural New Orleans Bowl.

Toledo ended the Thundering Herd's bid for a fifth straight MAC title on Nov. 30, rallying for a wild 41-36 victory at the Glass Bowl after spotting Marshall a 23-0 lead early in the second quarter. Toledo became the first team other than Marshall to win a MAC championship.

The loss snapped a 10-game winning streak for the Thundering Herd, whose only other defeat was a 49-14 season-opening setback to Florida.

.East Carolina (6-5) must contend with Byron Leftwich, who had a spectacular game against Toledo, completing 32-of-52 passes for 421 yards and four touchdowns against the Rockets to go over the 4,000-yard mark for the season.


Calgary adds defense depth

CALGARY, Alberta, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- The Calgary Flames added depth on defense Tuesday, acquiring Petr Buzek and a conditional 2003 draft choice from the Atlanta Thrashers.

Calgary sent left wing Jeff Cowan and defenseman Kurtis Foster to the Thrashers.

Buzek, 24, was in his third season with the Thrashers, but has gone without a point while playing in just 14 games the last two campaigns. The 6-1, 220-pounder had 13 penalty minutes in nine games this season.

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Cowan, 25, heads to Atlanta after registering one goal and 40 penalty minutes in 19 games this season. Foster, a 2000 second-round pick of the Flames, has nine goals and four assists in 13 games while playing for the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League this season.


Norman invited back to Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga., Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Greg Norman is going to get another crack at the major championship that has haunted him. He got a special invitation Tuesday from Augusta National Golf Club to play in the 2002 Masters in April.

Norman has been a runner-up at the Masters three times, including his infamous collapse in 1996 when he squandered a six-stroke lead by shooting a 78 in the final round.

The 46-year-old Australian played only 11 times on the PGA Tour last year and forfeited his membership. He had one fourth-place finish at the Bay Hill Invitational last March, but never finished higher than 25th the rest of the season and slipped to No. 113 in the world rankings. He missed the cut at the 2001 Masters.

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