Off the wire

— BASEBALL

Hall of Fame OF Snider dies

Duke Snider, the Hall of Fame center fielder who helped the Dodgers bring their elusive and only World Series crown to Brooklyn, died early Sunday in Escondido, Calif., of natural causes. He was 84. Snider hit .295 with 407 career home runs, played in the World Series six times and won two titles. He was an eight-time All-Star. Snider was often regarded as the third-best center fielder in New York - behind Willie Mays of the Giants and Mickey Mantle of the Yankees - during what many fans considered the city’s golden era of baseball. “The newspapers compared Willie, Mickey and I, and that was their thing,” Snider said several years ago. “As a team, we competed with the Giants, and we faced the Yankees in the World Series. So we had a rivalry as a team, that was it. It was an honor to be compared to them, they were both great players.” Mantle died in 1995 at age 63. Mays, now 79, threw out a ceremonial ball last fall before a playoff game in San Francisco. Snider hit at least 40 home runs in five consecutive seasons and led the National League in total bases three times. Snider hit .309 with 42 home runs and a career-high 136 RBI in 1955. That October, he hit four home runs, drove in seven runs and hit .320 as the Dodgers beat the Yankees in a seven-game World Series. Snider played his first game in the majors in 1947, two days after Jackie Robinson’s historic debut. Snider stayed with the Dodgers when they moved to Los Angeles in 1958 and won another World Series ring the next year. He finished his career in 1964 with the San Francisco Giants. Snider was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1980 on his 11th try. He was a broadcaster for the Montreal Expos for several seasons and later was an announcer with the Dodgers. In 1995, Snider pleaded guilty to federal tax charges and was sentenced to two years’ probation and fined $5,000. He admitted not reporting more than $97,000 in cash from autograph signings, card shows and memorabilia sales. He is survived by his wife, Beverly, whom he married in 1947.

FOOTBALL

Manning, Colts negotiating

The Indianapolis Colts and Peyton Manning’s agent would like to beat the clock on a new contract. However, with less than a week to go before the league’s collective bargaining agreement expires, both sides say they have made progress on Manning’s deal though neither appears to be rushing to finish the agreement. “We’re having conversations so that’s a positive,” Tom Condon, Manning’s agent, told The Associated Press. “But I would agree with him [Colts vice chairman Bill Polian] that nothing’s imminent.” Players, agents and team officials are already debating whether franchise and transition tags will carry the same weight they would in a normal league year. Two weeks ago, the Colts designated Manning their exclusive franchise player, a move designed to keep him off the free-agent market. If the tag sticks,as team officials contend, Manning could not negotiate with other teams. He also would make $23 million if he plays under the tag next season. In 2004, the Colts gave Manning the exclusive franchise tag then signed him to a seven-year, $98 million deal and rescinded the tag. “The players association and the management council have different interpretations about whether you can franchise any player,” Condon said. If there is a lockout, free agents cannot sign with other teams, players and team officials cannot communicate and teams can’t even negotiate with agents to keep their own players, such as Manning. “We’re presuming it’s business as usual,” Polian said Wednesday. “If that changes, we have a plan.”

The Tennessee Titans have put contract extension talks with Pro Bowl defensive end Jason Babin on hold while waiting on a new collective bargaining agreement to be reached. Babin’s agent, Rich Rosa, told The Tennessean he understands why the Titans would wait with negotiations surrounding a possible lockout. Babin had 12 1/2 sacks in 2010, his first season with the Titans and seventh in the NFL.

BASKETBALL

Jamison breaks finger

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Antawn Jamison broke the little finger on his left hand Sunday in the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers. Jamison was fouled while taking a shot and immediately left the court and was taken to the locker room. Jamison was replaced by Ryan Hollins. Jamison scored 16 points in 30 minutes. He is Cleveland’s leading scorer, averaging 18.1 points.

TENNIS

Del Potro wins final

Juan Martin del Potro won his first title in his first final since capturing the 2009 U.S. Open with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Janko Tipsarevic on Sunday in Delray Beach, Fla. Del Potro, 22, missed most of last season with a right wrist injury and looked fatigue throughout the finals of the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships. “Three months ago I was thinking I’ll be trying to play tournaments,” Del Potro said. “Now I won a tournament.” GOLF

Wagner wins in Mexico

Johnson Wagner won the Mayakoba Golf Classic for his second PGA Tour title Sunday, 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-par 67 to match Levin at 17-under 267 on the Greg Norman-designed El Camaleon course. Levin shot a 65. Wagner had four birdies in a bogey-free round. He earned $666,000.

Australia’s Karrie Webb surged ahead with four consecutive 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. Webb, 36, earned $210,000 for the victory. Arimura shot 71. She had led from the first round and had aone-shot advantage entering Sunday. Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) shot a 70 and finished 2-under 286, earning $30,911. Stacy Prammanasudh (Conway) had a 72 to finish 9-over 297. She earned $6,073.

Mathew Goggin won the Nationwide Tour’s season-opening Panama Championship in Panama City, shooting a 2-under 68 on Sunday for a two-stroke victory over Alistair Presnell and American Darron Stiles. Ron Whittaker (Little Rock) shot a final-round 66 to finish at 5-under 275 to earn $10,633. Scott Gardiner (Farmington) had a 71, finishing 3-under 277, earning $6,258. Brenden Pappas (Razorbacks) shot a 68 and finished 2-over 282. He earned $2,585.

MOTOR SPORTS

Lucas beats teammate

Morgan Lucas defeated Shawn Langdon in a matchup of former high school classmates in the Top Fuel final Sunday at the season opening NHRA Winter nationals in Pomona, Calif. Robert Hight won the Funny Car final while Jason Line won in Pro Stock. Lucas powered to a run of 3.835 seconds at 316.38 mph, while Langdon lost traction for a moment and slowed to a 4.047 at 313.73. “I’ve never been in the points lead in Top Fuel before, and I don’t really even know how to feel right now,” Lucas said. “Getting to race my teammate Shawn, who I went to high school with, this is just a dream come true, it really is.” HORSE RACING

Quick Enough wins

Quick Enough defeated Amazombie by a half-length to win Sunday’s $100,000 Sensational Star Handicap for California-breds at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Ridden by Patrick Valenzuela, Quick Enough ran 6 1/2 furlongs on the turf in 1:13.52. Valenzuela rode three winners on the card, and said of Amazombie: “I never hit my horse. I just hand rode him. He stuck his neck out and put everything into the race.” The victory was worth $375,360 for Quick Enough, who has eight victories in 19 career starts.

Sports, Pages 14 on 02/28/2011

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