Report: Koufax cuts ties with Dodgers
VERO BEACH, Fla., Feb. 21 (UPI) -- It looks like former Los Angeles Dodgers pitching great Sandy Koufax will not be involved with the franchise any longer.
MLB.com, the official Web site of Major League Baseball, reported Friday that Koufax has severed ties with the team's current ownership because of a report in the New York Post, a newspaper owned by News Corp., which owns the Dodgers.
Koufax, a resident of Vero Beach, Fla., frequently visited the team's spring training site at Vero Beach, and worked with several of Los Angeles pitchers. He also is a longtime friend of Vice President Dave Wallace.
According to reports, Koufax became infuriated at a Dec. 19 gossip item in the Post that said an unnamed Hall of Famer gave access to a biographer with a promise the book not question his sexuality.
Koufax was the subject of last year's best-selling biography Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy by Jane Leavy.
"It was irresponsible and inappropriate on the publication's part," said Derrick Hall, the team's Senior Vice President. "We understand Sandy's feelings. He is a tremendous part of the history of this organization."
The intensely private Koufax retired from the Dodgers after the 1966 season, and was a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He has told the team he would have no comment, and through a friend said he would not participate in any Dodgers spring training or regular season activities.
Back injury forces Palmer to withdraw
LUTZ, Fla., Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Arnold Palmer, who is celebrating his 50th year in professional golf, Friday was forced to withdraw from a tournament for just the second time in his career.
Palmer pulled out of the Verizon Classic at Lutz, Fla., with a bad hip. He withdraws less than a half hour before his scheduled tee time at the TPC of Tampa Bay. He pulled out of the pro-am Thursday, and withdrew from the tournament after feeling pain on the practice range.
Palmer, 73, began his 50th season three weeks ago at the Champions Tour's MasterCard Championship in Hawaii, where he was last in the 36-man field.
Palmer, second to none in popularity among golfers past or present, has not won a tournament of any kind since 1988, has not finished in the top 10 of a Champions Tour event since 1993, and has not cracked the top 100 on the money list since 1996.
The Hall of Famer, whose charismatic personality translated into national exposure for the PGA Tour, has 92 victories worldwide, winning his first as a pro in 1955, a year after giving up his amateur status.
Suns activate Gugliotta
PHOENIX, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Phoenix Suns forward Tom Gugliotta was activated from the injured list Friday after missing 44 games with a stress fracture in his right foot.
Gugliotta started the first 10 games of the season, but has not seen action since Nov. 22. He averaged 6.9 points and 6.8 rebounds in 26.3 minutes and shot 47 percent from the field before being injured.
Since the Suns placed guard Penny Hardaway on the injured list Monday, they had an open roster spot.
Like Hardaway, Gugliotta's career has been hampered by injuries.
He has missed 207 of Phoenix's 415 games since joining the team before the lockout-abbreviated 1998-99 season.
After playing at least 77 games in each of his first five seasons, Gugliotta has not suited up for more than 57 in any campaign since he was an All-Star with Minnesota in 1997.
Gugliotta also was in a car accident earlier this season, but did not suffer any injuries.
The Suns (30-24) could use a shot in the arm. They have lost 13 of their last 24 games, and are seventh in the Western Conference.
Hughes grounded by ankle injury
WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Veteran guard Larry Hughes of the Washington Wizards is expected to miss three weeks because of a sprained right ankle.
Hughes, the team's leading scorer off the bench, was injured in the fourth quarter of Wednesday night's 87-75 loss at New Orleans. He finished the contest with 11 points in 28 minutes, tops among Washington reserves.
Since signing as a free agent last summer, Hughes has become the team's best scoring option in reserve, averaging 13.1 points per game. He also chips in 5.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists for the playoff-hopeful Wizards.
"He's played terrific basketball for us," said Coach Doug Collins. "I thought he had one of his better games of the season (at New Orleans) before he got hurt. It just seem like things like this always snowball on us."
Hughes, 24, split his first four NBA seasons between Philadelphia and Golden State, averaging 13.3 points per game. He had a career-high 16.5 points in 50 games during the 2000-01 season after being traded to the Warriors a year earlier.
With star guard Jerry Stackhouse returning from an injury and Michael Jordan not getting any younger, Hughes' absence does little to help the Wizards (25-28), who have struggled of late and as are percentage points behind Orlando for eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
Washington hosts Atlantic Division-leading New Jersey (37-18) on Friday night.
Mason activated by Bulls
CHICAGO, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Rookie guard Roger Mason Jr., of the Chicago Bulls was activated from the injured list Friday.
Mason has yet to play this season following surgery to repair a dislocated right shoulder.
In a related move, the Bulls placed guard Rick Brunson on the IL with right knee tendinitis.
Mason was a second-round pick in the 2002 draft following a three-year career at Virginia. In his final season with the Cavaliers, he averaged a team-high 18.6 points and shot 88.1 percent from the free throw line.
Brunson has appeared in 10 games this season, averaging 4.6 points and 2.6 assists. Right knee tendinitis forced him to miss the first 40 games of the season.
The Bulls (19-36) visit Orlando Friday night.
Hawks sign Jackson for balance of season
ATLANTA, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- The Atlanta Hawks Friday signed guard Jermaine Jackson for the remainder of the season and guard Brandon Williams to a 10-day contract.
Jackson has played in six games for the Hawks, averaging 0.3 points and 0.8 rebounds. He played in 24 games for the Toronto Raptors earlier this season and was signed to a 10-day contract by Atlanta on Jan. 30. He was given a second 10-day deal on Feb. 10.
Williams was playing for the Huntsville Flight of the NBDL, where he was averaging a team-high 13.2 points per game.
The college star at Davidson previously played with the Golden State Warriors (1997-98) and San Antonio Spurs (1998-99). He signed 10-day contracts with the New York Knicks and Atlanta in 1999-2000, but did not appear in a game.
Isles demote DiPietro
UNIONDALE, N.Y., Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Goaltender Rick DiPietro of the New York Islanders, who had not played in more than two weeks, Friday was sent to Bridgeport of the American Hockey League.
DiPietro, the top overall pick in the 2000 draft, had been backing up Garth Snow since Chris Osgood sprained an ankle nearly a month ago, but has not played since Feb. 4 in a 2-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.
In four games since being recalled from the AHL, DiPietro played well, going 2-2-0 with a 2.02 goals-against average and .926 save percentage. He was 12-10-8 with a 2.23 GAA and .923 save percentage at Bridgeport.
Steve Valiquette was recalled from the Sound Tigers to take DiPietro's place as Snow's backup. He was 10-8-1 with a 2.56 GAA and .916 save percentage at Bridgeport, but has not played in the NHL since 2000.
The Islanders also sent right wing Eric Godard to Bridgeport.
Snow has been hot lately for the Islanders, going 6-3-1 in Osgood's absence. He has allowed fewer than three goals in six straight starts and is coming off his first shutout of the season.
Osgood was expected to miss up to a month when he sprained his ankle in a 5-0 loss to the New York Rangers on Jan. 23. He is 17-13-4 with a 2.92 GAA this season.
The Islanders return home from a 2-1-1 road trip Friday night against the red-hot Colorado Avalanche, who have earned at least one point in 14 straight games (11
2-1). New York begins the night tied for sixth in the Eastern Conference.
