Announcer Harrelson apologizes to ump
CHICAGO, June 2 (UPI) -- Chicago White Sox television broadcaster Ken "Hawk" Harrelson Saturday apologized to an umpire for an on-air tirade, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
The newspaper said Harrelson called umpire Mark Wegner to say he was sorry for the Wednesday rant, in which he disputed Wegner's decision to eject a White Sox pitcher from a game for throwing behind a batter.
The 28-year broadcasting veteran was reprimanded by White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf and Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig after the incident.
The emotional outburst was triggered when Wegner ejected Jose Quintana for throwing behind Tampa Bay Rays batter Ben Zobrist an inning after Rays pitcher Alex Cobb hit Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski with a pitch.
"What are you doing? He threw him out of the ballgame, you've got to be bleepin' me!" Harrelson said. "What in the hell are you doing? What are you doing Wegner? You got to be kidding me. That is so bad that is absolutely brutal. That is unbelievable."
He continued, "Here's an umpire in the American League that knows nothing about the game of baseball. They have got to do something about this."
Report: Phillies' Contreras needs surgery
PHILADELPHIA, June 2 (UPI) -- Philadelphia Phillies right-handed pitcher Jose Contreras has suffered a torn ligament in his throwing elbow, MLB.com reported Saturday.
The Web site said an examination Saturday revealed the 40-year-old veteran has sustained tears in both the ulnar collateral ligament and flexor pronator tendon.
The Cuban-born hurler will likely require Tommy John Surgery, meaning his 2012 season is over, the report said.
Contreras was placed on the 15-day disabled list with what was initially called a elbow strain after leaving Friday's 6-4 victory over Miami in the seventh inning.
The 12-year MLB veteran underwent right elbow surgery last September and began the current season on the disabled list.
He went 1-0 with a 5.27 ERA in 17 relief appearances this year.
Vikings fullback Felton charged with DWI
MINNEAPOLIS, June 2 (UPI) -- Minnesota Vikings fullback Jerome Felton was out on bail Saturday after being arrested for driving while intoxicated, jail records indicate.
Police reported the running back was pulled over during a traffic stop in Eden Prairie, Minn., late Friday and booked into the Hennepin County jail on suspicion of driving while impaired.
He was charged with second-degree DWI and refusing to submit to a chemical test, both gross misdemeanors, the records showed.
Felton, 25, was later released on $12,000 bail.
The four-year NFL veteran was signed by the Vikings in March after earlier playing with the Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers and Detroit Lions.
Olives planted in Athens' Olympic Park
ATHENS, Greece, June 2 (UPI) -- An official in Athens is leading a project to plant olive trees at the site of the 2004 Olympics in a largely symbolic gesture of community building.
Olympic Park has been closed to the public due to Greece's debt crisis, and is being converted in part to an olive grove.
Councilor Manolis Trickas said the olives produced by the trees would help stave off hunger among the city's poor, and also rally the citizens together. "We believe that accumulating money will not help us out of this kind of crisis, but a network of solidarity will support us," he said.
Tending the olive trees is one of the few activities taking place in Olympic Park, located in the suburb of Hellenikon. Voice of America said Saturday the area was becoming overgrown and the only sounds heard regularly were birds and the horns of ships in the nearby harbor.
Many Greeks, and even some official of the International Olympic Committee, concede the capital outlays for the games contributed to Greece's debt load. There have been calls to sell the park to private developers.
