Patriots sign QB Major Applewhite
FOXBORO, Mass., April 23 (UPI) -- Undrafted, former Texas quarterback Major Applewhite found a team Monday by signing with the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots.
Considered undersized at 6-1, Applewhite did not hear his named called in the seven-round NFL draft over the weekend, despite owning 48 school records at Texas.
Applewhite may have had his draft stock hurt after losing his starting job to Chris Simms in his final collegiate season. But as the starter for the Holiday Bowl, Applewhite passed for 473 yards and four touchdowns in a victory over Washington.
The Patriots are no strangers to taking chances on quarterbacks. In 2000, they selected Tom Brady in the sixth round and he supplanted Drew Bledsoe as the starter last season while leading the Pats' surprising Super Bowl run. Sunday, New England traded Bledsoe to Buffalo for a 2003 first-round pick.
Giants send OF Murray to Rangers
CHICAGO, April 23 (UPI) -- The San Francisco Giants traded reserve outfielder Calvin Murray to the Texas Rangers Monday for cash considerations.
Hitless in 12 at-bats for the Giants, Murray goes to a team needing outfield help, with Juan Gonzalez and Gabe Kapler both sidelined by injuries.
Murray was San Francisco's first-round pick in the 1992 draft, but he never developed. He appeared in a career-high 106 games last year, hitting .245 with six home runs and 25 RBI.
To take Murray's spot on the roster, the Giants will recall first baseman Damon Minor from his rehabilitation stint at Class AAA Fresno and activate him from the disabled list for Tuesday night's game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Lopez gets exemption to U.S.Open
FAR HILLS, N.J., April 23 (UPI) -- LPGA Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez has accepted a special exemption to compete in this year's U.S. Women's Open, the USGA announced Monday.
The women's committee of the USGA granted the exemption to Lopez, who will compete in her 25th Women's Open from July 4-7 at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchison, Kan.
One of the most recognizable golfer in LPGA Tour history, Lopez, 45, has won 48 titles, but never the Open, where she has placed second four times, most recently in 1997. She broke down in tears last year after failing to qualify for the event.
Lopez previously accepted special exemptions to the championship in 1999 and 2000. She missed the cut and tied for 46th, respectively.
In March, Lopez announced that 2002 will be her final year as a regular on tour. She has missed the cut in all three starts this season and has been in the top 10 just once since 1998.
Wisconsin receiver has ligament damage
MADISON, Wis., April 23 (UPI) -- Wisconsin wide receiver Lee Evans will need surgery to repair ligament damage in his left knee suffered in Saturday's spring game, putting the status of his senior season in question.
Evans, a finalist for the 2001 Biletnikoff award as the best college receiver in the country, underwent an MRI that revealed "sustained" status to his knee.
A date for the surgery has not been set and the school said that his status for the fall will be dependent on the procedure and the ensuing rehabilitation process.
Last season, Evans set a Big Ten conference record with 1,545 receiving yards and school records with 75 receptions and eight 100-yard games.
Jets sign free agent cornerback
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., April 23 (UPI) -- The New York Jets continued to revamp their secondary Monday as they agreed to terms with free agent cornerback Donnie Abraham. ESPN reported Abraham will sign a six-year, $18 million contract.
Abraham, who turns 27 in five days, spent the first six years of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before being waived on March 14 for salary cap purposes.
A 2000 Pro Bowl selection and and considered the premier free agent corner left on the open market, Abraham has 34 interceptions over the last six seasons--the most in the NFL. The 1996 third-round pick out of East Tennessee State had six interceptions this past season.
New York, which failed to take a cornerback in the NFL draft, had a pressing need in the secondary after losing starters Aaron Glenn and Marcus Coleman in the expansion draft. The Jets already had added cornernback Aaron Beasley and safety Sam Garnes prior to adding Abraham, who is familiar with Herman Edwards, who coached defensive backs with Tampa Bay from 1996-2000 before taking his first head coaching job with the Jets.
Portas loses in first round
BARCELONA, Spain, April 23 (UPI) -- No. 13-seeded Albert Portas was ousted by fellow Spaniard Alberto Martin in the first round Monday at the claycourt Open Seat Godo 2002.
In the first match of the day, Portas fell to 4-9 this season with a 7-5, 6-3 loss to Martin, who recorded his first victory over his countryman in five encounters.
Portas finished last year with a 32-28 record and ranked No. 20. He won the Tennis Masters tournament in Hamburg. He suffered his second straight first-round loss and sixth this season.
Martin will square off against Belgium's Oliver Rochus in the second round. Rochus beat Austrian Markus Hipfl, 6-2, 6-2.
No. 14 Juan Ignacio Chela defeated Finland's Jarkko Nieminen, 6-4, 6-4, to advance to the second round. Having the best season of his career, Chela improved his match record to 24-11. He appeared in the final at Sydney in January and was a semifinalist in Buenos Aires and Acapulco on clay in February.
The 22-year-old from Argentina played well during the early American hardcourt season, reaching the quarterfinals at Scottsdale and at the TMS in Miami.
In the only other match involving a seeded player Monday, No. 10 Hicham Arazi took on Croatian qualifier Zeljko Krajan.
Spanish wild card Marc Lopez will take on top seed Lleyton Hewitt of Australia in the second round after rallying past countryman Tommy Robredo, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5.
Stefano Galvani gets a chance against second seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia in the next round. The Italian qualifier prevailed against Croatia's Ivan Ljubicic, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (9-7).
Hewitt and Kafelnikov, along with the other top eight seeds, received first-round byes.
In early matches, Argentina's Gaston Gaudio cruised past Spain's Albert Montanes, 6-3, 6-2, and Franco Squillari of Argentina beat Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand, 6-3
Terps' losing Wilcox to NBA
COLLEGE PARK, Md., April 23 (UPI) -- Chris Wilcox, who emerged as a premier college player in helping Maryland to win the NCAA Tournament, will bypass his final two years of college eligibility and enter this year's NBA draft.
The 6-10 forward notified Maryland Coach Gary Williams of his intentions on Monday.
Wilcox will likely be one of the top power forwards available in the upcoming draft. He was Maryland's third-leading scorer with 12.0 points per game while adding 7.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. He moved into the starting lineup on a permanent basis in late December and averaged 13.5 points in six NCAA Tournament contests.
The departure of Wilcox leaves point guard Steve Blake as the only returning starter from the national championship team. The Terps will lose seniors Juan Dixon, Lonny Baxter and Byron Mouton through graduation.
Blackhawks' Odelein suspended
CHICAGO, April 23 (UPI) -- The Chicago Blackhawks will be without defenseman Lyle Odelein when they play Game Four of their Western Conference quarterfinal series with the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday.
Chicago Coach Brian Sutter told the media after Monday's practice that Odelein would be suspended one game for his actions in Sunday's 4-0 loss.
With 8:28 remaining in the third period, Odelein hit St. Louis right wing Jamal Mayers across the face with his stick. Odelein received a major, a 10-minute misconduct and a game misconduct.
The Blues have a two games to one lead in the best-of-seven series.
Steelers release Rich Tylski
PITTSBURGH, April 23 (UPI) -- The Pittsburgh Steelers released right guard Rich Tylski on Monday, two days after drafting his possible replacement.
The Steelers used their first pick in Saturday's draft on Auburn guard Kendall Simmons. While it is uncertain exactly where Simmons will play, the Steelers likely will work him into the lineup at some point next season.
Tylski joined the Steelers in 2000 as an unrestricted free agent from the Jacksonville Jaguars. He started every game in his first season in Pittsburgh and missed six contests in 2001 due to ankle and rib injuries. The 31-year-old Tylski played collegiately at Utah State.
Braves place pitcher on DL
ATLANTA, April 23 (UPI) -- The Atlanta Braves placed righthander Jason Marquis on the 15-day disabled list Monday with tendinitis in his pitching shoulder.
Marquis, 23, has not started since throwing 124 pitches over six innings in a 7-0 loss to Florida on April 14. He was scratched from his next start and was slated to take the mound on Tuesday against Arizona. Marquis is 1-2 with a 6.75 ERA in three starts this season--his first as a member of one of baseball's best rotations.
To take Marquis's spot on the roster, the Braves recalled 21-year-old lefthander Jung Bong from Class AA Greenville of the Southern League. The Korean, who was 2-1 with a 4.02 ERA at Greenville, will make his major league debut on Tuesday against Arizona, which will start Curt Schilling.
