Sports Briefs February 28, 2011
Baseball
Duke Snider, the Hall of Fame center fielder for the charmed "Boys of Summer" who helped the Dodgers bring their elusive and only World Series crown to Brooklyn, died Sunday. He was 84.
Snider died at the Valle Vista Convalescent Hospital in Escondido, Calif., said the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, which announced the death on behalf of the family. Snider had been ill for months. His family said he died of natural causes.
"The Duke of Flatbush" hit .295 with 407 career home runs, played in the World Series six times and won two titles. But the eight-time All-Star was defined by much more than his stats - he was, after all, part of the love affair between the borough of Brooklyn and "Dem Bums" who lived in the local neighborhoods.
Ebbets Field was filled with stars such as Pee Wee Reese, Roy Campanella and Gil Hodges during that 1955 championship season. Yet it is Snider's name that refrains in the ballpark favorite "Talkin' Baseball."
"Willie, Mickey, and the Duke," goes the popular song, which marks its 30th anniversary this year.
Luke Donald had only two wins around the world in the last five years, so not many would have given him a snowball's chance in Arizona of winning the Match Play Championship in Marana, Ariz.
Turns out be he was more unbeatable than anyone in the 13-year history of the tournament.
When he polished off Martin Kaymer on the 16th hole, Donald became the first player to go an entire week without trailing in any match. He played only 89 holes in six matches, another record, and led after 81 of them. And he was so dominant he became the first player to win any golf tournament without ever playing the 18th hole.
• Johnson Wagner won the Mayakoba Golf Classic for his second PGA Tour title, beating Spencer Levin with a par on the first hole of a playoff in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.
Wagner, also the 2008 Houston Open winner, closed with a 4-under 67 to match Levin at 17-under 267 on the Greg Norman-designed El Camaleon course. Levin shot a 65.
• Karrie Webb surged ahead with four straight birdies on the back nine and held off Japan's Chie Arimura for a one-shot victory at the HSBC Women's Champions in Singapore.
The 36-year-old Webb, who earned $210,000 for the victory, was even on the front nine and bogeyed No. 10 before the string of birdies on Nos. 11-14 at Tanah Merah Country Club.
Lightning 2, Rangers 1: Martin St. Louis had a goal and an assist, and Vincent Lecavalier snapped a third-period tie during a two-man power play to lift visiting Tampa Bay past New York.
Predators 3, Blue Jackets 2: David Legwand capped Nashville's three-goal third period with the go-ahead score with 1:35 remaining to lead host Nashville over Columbus.
Thrashers 3, Maple Leafs 2, OT: Ron Hainsey scored from the edge of the left circle in overtime and host Atlanta beat Jean-Sebastien Giguere and Toronto to snap a five-game winless streak.
Devils 2, Panthers 1: At Sunrise, Fla., Martin Brodeur stopped 25 shots in his return from injury as New Jersey beat Florida.
Blackhawks 4, Coyotes 3, SO: Jonathan Toews scored twice in regulation and had the lone goal in the shootout to lead host Chicago over Phoenix.
Bruins 3, Oilers 2: Michael Ryder had a goal and an assist to lead visiting Boston over Edmonton.
Ducks 3, Avalanche 2: Todd Marchant snapped a 70-game goal drought and host Anaheim beat Colorado.
Flames 1, Blues 0: Miikka Kiprusoff made 27 saves for his fifth shutout of the season and David Moss scored the only goal as host Calgary defeated St. Louis.
Skiing
Maria Riesch of Germany beat Lindsey Vonn by one hundredth of a second to win a World Cup super-G race in Are, Sweden, and extend her overall lead over her American rival.
• Mario Matt held off fellow Austrian Reinfried Herbst by .04 seconds for a World Cup slalom title at Bansko, Bulgaria.
- The Associated Press