Michael Andretti buys into racing team
INDIANAPOLIS, July 23 (UPI) -- One of the biggest names in auto racing as a driver is now one of its newest team owners as well.
Michael Andretti became one of the new owners of Team Green Tuesday, a team that may join the Indy Racing League.
Barry Green, the team owner of the CART operation that also competed in the Indianapolis 500, has agreed to sell his team to Andretti, his brother Kim Green and Kevin Savoree. The sale will take effect Dec. 1 when the organization will become known as Andretti Green Racing.
Michael Andretti, currently the active victory leader in CART, will be the majority owner and becomes the team's chief executive officer while Kim Green will continue in his current role as president with Savoree continuing as chief operating officer and vice president of finance.
Barry Green will be involved in the team as a consultant and will have a financial interest in the operation.
Armstrong maintains comfortable lead
LES DEUX-ALPES, France, July 23 (UPI) -- Lance Armstrong kept his overall lead at a comfortable four minutes and 21 seconds as Colombian Santiago Botero claimed the 15th stage of the Tour de France Tuesday.
Armstrong appears unstoppable in his quest to become the fifth man in history to win the prestigious race four times. The American easily retained the overall yellow jersey by finishing ninth in Tuesday's stage and crossing the line just in back of Joseba Beloki, who remained second overall.
Botero made Tuesday's 140.43-mile race from Vaison-la-Romaine to the ski station of Les Deux-Aples--the longest stage of the Tour--in five hours, 55 minutes and 16 seconds. Botero, also the winner of the ninth stage, improved to seventh overall.
Mario Aerts of Belgium was second in the stage, 1:51 behind. Raimondas Rumsas of Lithuania is third overall, 6:39 behind Armstrong.
Saints bolster offensive backfield
NEW ORLEANS, July 23 (UPI) -- The New Orleans fortified their backfield Tuesday, signing veteran Terry Allen to a one-year contract.
Allen, who played for the Baltimore Ravens last season, will serve as Deuce McAllister's backup in New Orleans. In his 12-year career, the 5-11, 208-pounder has rushed for 8,614 yards and 79 touchdowns Allen is beginning his second stint in New Orleans, having helped the Saints to the 2000 NFC West title.
Despite playing in only 11 games, including eight starts, Allen led the Ravens in rushing last year with 658 yards on 11 carries in the absence of injured Jamal Lewis. He also caught 17 passes for 68 yards and tied for third on the club with three touchdowns.
Originally taken by Minnesota in the ninth round of the 1990 draft, Allen has posted four 1,000-yard seasons, including a career-high 1,353 yards and an NFL-high 21 touchdowns for the Washington Redskins in 1996.
Harrington joins Lions, goes right to work
ALLEN PARK, Mich., July 23 (UPI) -- Quarterback Joey Harrington, selected by Detroit with the third overall pick in the April draft, agreed to terms with the Lions on Tuesday morning and suited up for the team's first practice of training camp.
Harrington was considered the second-best quarterback in the draft behind David Carr, who was taken first overall by the Houston expansion team.
Harrington comes to the Lions with solid credentials, winning 25 of 28 games as a starter during his collegiate career. In his senior season, Harrington led Oregon to a Rose Bowl victory and a No. 2 ranking after completing 186-of-322 passes for 2,415 yards.
49ers sign top draft pick
STOCKTON, Calif., July 23 (UPI) -- The San Francisco 49ers Tuesday agreed to a five-year contract with first-round draft pick Mike Rumph.
Rumph, a star cornerback for defending national champion Miami, was the 27th overall choice in the April draft.
A starter last season, Rumph collected 28 tackles and eight passes defended in his final collegiate season. The 6-2, 205-pounder boasts excellent size and decent speed.
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Phils return Person to disabled list
CHICAGO, July 23 (UPI) -- The Philadelphia Phillies have placed struggling righthander Robert Person back on the disabled list.
Person lasted just two innings in Monday's start against the Chicago Cubs complaining of shoulder and elbow pain. He was placed on the 15-day DL after the game and is expected to undergo an MRI.
For the season, Person is 4-5 with a 5.44 ERA. He was on the DL from April 30 to June 2 with tendinitis in his right elbow.
Texas' Rogers nixes trade to Reds
SEATTLE, July 23 (UPI) -- Kenny Rogers apparently wants to remain deep in the heart of Texas.
Rogers decided against waiving a no-trade clause on Tuesday, negating a deal that would have sent the veteran Texas Ranger lefthander to the Cincinnati Reds for three minor leaguers.
Cincinnati confirmed Sunday it had reached an agreement to acquire Rogers from the Rangers, contingent on Rogers waiving the no-trade clause in his contract.
But, Rogers wavered and ultimately decided against a move to Ohio in order to stay close to his family. The 37-year-old hurler is in the final year of a three-year contract that will pay him $7.5 million this season. He is 10-5 with a 3.39 ERA for a last place team.
Reds rebuffed by Rogers, acquire Moehler
CINCINNATI, July 23 (UPI) -- After being turned down by KennyRogers, the Cincinnati Reds Tuesday acquired Brian Moehler.
Rogers decided against waiving a no-trade clause on Tuesday, negating a deal that would have sent the veteran lefthander to he Reds for three minor leaguers.
The Reds acted quickly, acquiring Moehler from the Detroit Tigers in a deal that also brings infielder Matt Boone, the son of Reds' manager Bob Boone, to Cincinnati.
The Reds also received an undisclosed amount of cash from the Tigers for minor league infielder David Espinosa and two players to be named.
Bob Boone had another reason to celebrate on Tuesday after the Reds exercised his contract for the 2003 season.
Cincinnati confirmed Sunday it had reached an agreement to acquire Rogers from the Rangers, contingent on Rogers waiving the no-trade clause in his contract. But Rogers decided against a move to Ohio to stay close to his family.
The Reds (51-48) are 4 ½ games behind first-place St. Louis in the National League Central and were looking to add another starter after Ryan Dempster was acquired from the Florida Marlins on July 11.
The Reds settled on Moehler, who is 1-1 with a 2.29 ERA in three starts for the Tigers this season. He began the year on the disabled list while recovering from surgery on his rotator cuff. Moehler has won 10 or more games in each of his four full seasons in the majors. His best season was 1998, when he established career highs in wins (14), ERA (3.90), innings (221 1/3) and strikeouts (123). The 30-year-old Moehler will make his Reds debut on Wednesday afternoon against Pittsburgh.
Three seeds eliminated in Austria match
KITZBUHEL, Austria, July 23 (UPI) -- Rainer Schuettler of Germany was among three seeds eliminated in straight sets in their first match Tuesday at the $880,000 claycourt Generali Open.
Schuettler, the seventh seed, bowed out meekly in a 6-4, 6-2 loss to unheralded Nikolay Davydenko of Russia. It was the second straight impressive win for Davydenko, who knocked off Sargis Sargsian of Armenia in the opening round.
Other seeds going home early were No. 14 Hicham Arazi of Morocco, who suffered a 6-2, 6-4 loss to Martin Verkerk of the Netherlands, and No. 16 Felix Mantilla of Spain, who was beaten, 6-3, 6-4, by Michael Kohlmann of Germany.
Schuettler, Arazi and Mantilla all received first-round byes. Arazi received a wild card into the draw.
Fifth-seeded Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador, the defending champion, nearly joined them before rallying for a 6-7 (3-7), 6-2, 6-4 victory over Italian qualifier Renzo Furlan. Lapentti won a title in St. Poelten earlier this season.
