BASKETBALL
Sterling: ‘Not a racist’
Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling apologized Sunday for racist comments captured on tape, saying they were a “terrible mistake.” “I’m not a racist,” Sterling told CNN’s Anderson Cooper in excerpts posted from an interview taped Sunday and set to air today.
“I made a terrible mistake. I’m here to apologize.” In his first public comments since being banned for life from the NBA, Sterling said years of good behavior as an owner should count toward his future. “I’m a good member who made a mistake,” Sterling said. “Am I entitled to one mistake, am I after 35 years? I mean, I love my league, I love my partners. Am I entitled to one mistake? It’s a terrible mistake, and I’ll never do it again.” The interview came nearly two weeks after NBA Commissioner Adam Silver banned Sterling, fined him $2.5 million and urged the other league owners to force him to sell the team. Sterling’s comments came on the same day ABC News posted excerpts of an interview his estranged wife gave to Barbara Walters. Shelly Sterling said she would fight to keep her 50 percent ownership stake of the team. “I will fight that decision,” Shelly Sterling said. “To be honest with you, I’m wondering if a wife of one of the owners, and there’s 30 owners, did something like that, said those racial slurs, would they oust the husband? Or would they leave the husband in? I don’t know why I should be punished for what his actions were.” NBA spokesman Mike Bass released a statement Sunday night in response to Shelly Sterling’s comments. “Under the NBA constitution, if a controlling owner’s interest is terminated by a three-quarter vote, all other team owners’ interests are automatically terminated as well,” Bass said. “It doesn’t matter whether the owners are related as is the case here. These are the rules to which all NBA owners agreed to as a condition of owning their team.”
TENNIS
Sharapova wins in Madrid
Maria Sharapova bounced back from a poor start to defeat Simona Halep 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 Sunday and win the Madrid Open title. Sharapova, who lost to Serena Williams in last year’s final, crumbled in the opening set when she held her serve just once. But Halep’s serve dipped in the second set, and Sharapova started hitting pinpoint ground strokes that kept the Romanian running. The ninth-ranked Russian converted both her break points in the set to even the match. Sharapova then pulled away in the deciding set with an early break to follow up her triumph in Stuttgart with a maiden title in Madrid. Since the 2011 French Open, Sharapova has a 47-3 record on clay — with all three defeats coming to Williams. The top-ranked American was the two-time defending champion in Madrid but withdrew with a leg injury on Friday. Also, Rafael Nadal won his fourth Madrid Open title after Kei Nishikori was forced to withdraw with an injury when tailing 2-6, 6-4, 3-0 in the final. Nishikori’s powerful groundstrokes helped him win the first set against the top-ranked Nadal, who couldn’t find a way to counter his Japanese opponent. But Nadal slowly clawed back into the match at the Magic Box and broke twice in the second set to even the match. But Nishikori was in obvious discomfort in the third and received treatment on his lower back during a medical timeout before eventually retiring. Novak Djokovic is ready to return from the right wrist injury that forced him to withdraw from the Madrid Open a week ago. The second-ranked Serb had a couple of long practice sessions over the weekend as he prepares for this week’s Italian Open and Roland Garros, which starts in two weeks. Djokovic said he’s been pain-free for 10 days. When Djokovic lost to Roger Federer in the Monte Carlo Masters semifinals last month, his wrist was heavily strapped and he was unable to play at his usual level. He opens in Rome against Czech veteran Radek Stepanek.
BASEBALL
Marlins designate Marmol
The Miami Marlins designated reliever Carlos Marmol for assignment and brought up right-handed pitcher Henry Rodriguez from Class AAA New Orleans on Sunday. Marmol gave up four runs in one inning during Saturday’s 9-3 loss to the Padres. That included a three-run home run by Chase Headley. Marmol had an ERA of 8.10 in 13 1/3 innings over 15 games. Rodriguez appeared in 12 games in New Orleans with 1 save and a 3.26 ERA. Over his last three outings, he’s thrown seven scoreless innings.
A Florida police department has reportedly completed its investigation into the theft of documents related to baseball’s inquiry into whether star Alex Rodriguez used performance-enhancing drugs. Newsday reported Sunday the investigation ended April 11 with no criminal charges against anyone except a tanning salon employee arrested months earlier after police said his DNA was found on the burglarized vehicle. However, the newspaper reported that Major League Baseball ignored repeated warnings that the records they sought had been stolen and that they were not to purchase them. The documents were stolen from the car of Porter Fischer, who took them from Biogenesis, the Miami clinic where he worked and that was accused of dispensing banned drugs to players, including Rodriguez.
The New York Yankees have placed struggling starter CC Sabathia on the 15-day disabled list with inflammation in his right knee. Sunday’s move came a day after the left-hander allowed three home runs in a no-decision against the Brewers. Milwaukee won 5-4. Sabathia is 3-4 with a 5.28 ERA. Opponents are hitting .301 off him this season. Righthander Matt Daley was called up from Class AAA Scranton to take Sabathia’s spot on the roster. Sabathia’s next start was to have been Thursday night against the Mets at Citi Field in the Subway Series.
The Baltimore Orioles activated first baseman Chris Davis from the 15-day disabled list after he spent the minimum time sidelined with a strained left side. Davis was in the starting lineup for Sunday’s game against the Houston Astros. Although the Orioles got back Davis, they lost catcher Matt Wieters, who was placed on the DL with a right elbow strain. Davis led the majors last year with 53 home runs and 138 RBI. This season he has 2 home runs and 13 RBI in 22 games. Davis went on the disabled list on April 27, retroactive to April 26, after being pulled from a game against Kansas City. His rehabilitation assignment lasted only one game — a 1 for 4 outing Saturday night for Class A Bowie.
MOTOR SPORTS
Hamilton wins fourth in a row
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg sped away to their fourth consecutive one-two finish at the Spanish Grand Prix in Montmelo on Sunday in a dominant performance that does not bode well for the rest of the Formula One field. Hamilton took off from pole position and stayed ahead of Rosberg for a fourth consecutive victory to move ahead of his teammate in the overall standings. Hamilton’s 26th career victory gave him 100 points after five races and three more than Rosberg, who closed to within one second of his teammate late but again couldn’t find his way past his main rival.
Doctors still have not cleared James Hinchcliffe to drive after he was diagnosed with a concussion Saturday. The IndyCar driver was injured Saturday during the Grand Prix of Indianapolis when debris from another car appeared to fly into Hinchcliffe’s cockpit, striking him in the head following a restart. He was taken from the track on a stretcher and transported to a hospital where doctors diagnosed the concussion. Hinchcliffe had another exam Sunday. It’s unclear how long the popular Canadian driver will be out. He missed Sunday’s opening Indianapolis 500 practice and was replaced in Andretti Autosport’s No. 27 Honda by Venezuela’s EJ Viso. Hinchcliffe won three races last year. His best finish this season is seventh at Barber. Hinchcliffe finished 20th Saturday after starting 11th.
HORSE RACING
Imagining wins Man o’War
Imagining led all the way Sunday in the $400,000 Man o’ War, giving Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey his third consecutive victory in the turf stakes at Belmont Park. McGaughey previously took the 1 3/8-mile race with Point of Entry (2012) and Boisterous (2013). The trio were owned and bred by the Phipps Stable. Joel Rosario sent the 6-year-old to the front and they controlled the pace over the course rated good. Real Solution rallied three wide to take aim at the leader, but the bid fell short by three-quarters of a length. The time was 2:14.33. Imagining paid $8.50, $4.50 and $2.90. Real Solution returned $5 and $3.50, and Grandeur paid $4 to show.
Sports on 05/12/2014