Sports Briefs July 12, 2010
Baseball
Bob Sheppard, whose stylish, elegant stadium introductions of New York Yankees from Joltin' Joe Dimaggio to Derek Jeter spanned more than a half century and earned him the nickname "The Voice of God," died Sunday. He was 99.
Sheppard, a gentle man who spoke with the sonorous authority of a giant, died at his Long Island home in Baldwin with his wife, Mary, at his side, the Yankees said.
Sheppard started with the Yankees in April 1951 and worked his last game at Yankee Stadium in September 2007, when he became ill with a bronchial infection.
• Hank Conger hit a three-run homer and the United States, boosted by a pair of Los Angeles Angels up-and-comers, snapped a three-year losing streak in the Futures Game with a 9-1 win over the World squad in Anaheim, Calif.
Eric Hosmer doubled among his four hits and drove in two runs for the U.S. team in a game showcasing top prospects from all of baseball's minor leagues - featuring 50 players representing 10 countries.
Cycling
Seven-time champion Lance Armstrong wrote off his chances of victory in his 13th and last Tour de France, signaling the beginning of the end of one of the most celebrated and controversial careers in cycling history.
The 38-year-old Texan's hopes for yet another title were dashed Sunday after he got caught in three crashes - one of which brought him down - and struggled to keep up during two tough climbs in Stage 8 near Morzin, France, the race's first foray into the Alps. He and his team said his hip got banged up, keeping him from pedaling hard.
The stage was won by 25-year-old Andy Schleck of Luxembourg, and Armstrong finished nearly 12 minutes back, in 61st place.
Football
Michael Vick was a no-show at his celebrity golf tournament in Tucker, Ga., after probation officials restricted travel for the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback last weekend.
Vick spokeswoman, Judy Smith, said that Vick's travel has been at the discretion of his probation officer since he was released from prison in a federal dogfighting case in May 2009.
Basketball
Former Defensive Player of the Year Ben Wallace has agreed to a two-year deal to stay with the Detroit Pistons.
• Guard Jordan Farmar of the NBA champion Lakers has agreed to join the New Jersey Nets.
• The Nielsen Co. estimates that 9.95 million people watched LeBron James announce on ESPN that he's leaving Cleveland to play for the Miami Heat, making it the third-most-watched program on cable television this year.
"The Decision" that aired Thursday night ranks behind the 12.3 million who watched the NFL Pro Bowl and 11.2 million who watched an episode of "ICarly" on Nickelodeon in January.
Tennis
Mardy Fish captured the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport, R.I., rallying for a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 victory over fourth-seeded Olivier Rochus of Belgium.
Auto racing
Mark Webber cruised to his third Formula One victory of the season after overtaking Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel on the opening lap of the British Grand Prix in Silverstone, England.
The Australian finished 1.36 seconds ahead of championship leader Lewis Hamilton of McLaren, turning in an immaculate drive at Silverstone after being angered by having to hand over a key car part to Vettel.
• A driver died after he crashed his dragster at the NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Wash.
Mark Niver, 60, of Phoenix was competing in the Top Alcohol dragster class in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing series, the top feeder circuit for the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing series.
The NHRA is investigating the accident.
Niver's death is the second in a month at an NHRA event. Neal Parker, a 58-year-old from Millville, N.J., died of head injuries after crashing during a qualifying round at the NHRA SuperNationals in June.
- The Associated Press