Derek does it: Jeter tops Lou Gehrig for New York Yankees hit record with No. 2,722

NEW YORK — Derek Jeter bounded out of the dugout and peered up at the rain-soaked stands, surprised to see so many people on such a miserable night.

Jordan reaches new heights with Hall of Fame enshrinement

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — From the coach who cut him to the players who disrespected him, Michael Jordan never forgot a slight.

Michael Jordan picks David Thompson as Hall of Fame presenter; Barkley, Chaney also presenters

Michael Jordan has chosen David Thompson, another high flyer from North Carolina, to present him, while Charles Barkley and Isiah Thomas also will be presenters at the Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony.

David Thompson To Host The Induction Of Michael Jordan Into Hall Of Fame

Michael Jordan surprised many of his fans when he chose David Thompson over Phil Jackson (former NBA coach) and Dean Smith (former college coach) as host to the NBA Basketball Hall of Fame’s induction. David Thompson is a former North Carolina NBA player and is also known as the “Skywalker”.
Phil Jackson and Dean Smith were the favorites in the race for the host to the induction of the Hall of Fame. They were very close to Jordan and had also greatly influenced his career, but even so Jordon opted for David Thompson. According to Jordan, Thompson had always been his role model in athletics and he claims that he wouldn’t have scaled the heights that he has if it weren’t for the inspiration that was instilled in him by Thompson. In 1981, on his arrival at Chapel Hill, Jordan himself admitted, “Any time David Thompson was on television, I was glued to that screen.”
Thompson himself was quite surprised by Jordan’s announcement and “wow” was the only way by which he could express his surprise. David Thompson was a North Carolina State player. He was the lone player among the former NC State college players to get his number retire along with him. Thompson’s 48 inch vertical leap and securing 73 points individually in a single game, which is the third highest in NBA, had earned him the nickname “Skywalker”.
In the history of ACC, Thompson is still rated as the top player of all times. Thompson was idolized by Jordan and Thompson in return idolized Charlie Scott. Thompson’s says of Scott, “I always pretended to be Charlie Scott when I was out practicing by myself. If he made a shot, I wanted to make it the same way.”

Even with Cutler at quarterback, Butkus says Bears’ hopes still hinge on defense

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The way Dick Butkus sees it, Jay Cutler would be “in Canada somewhere” had he tried to force George Halas to trade him.

Lee’s 2 HRs lead Cubs past Pittsburgh 4-2, assuring Pirates of 17th straight losing season

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates’ not-so-magic number is zero, or the number of winning teams they’ve had during a record-setting run of futility over 17 forgettable seasons.

Headley, Knott latest legends at HoF

Dubai, Sept 7 (IBNS) Two of the greats of the game, George Headley and Alan Knott, were formally inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame (HoF) during the second ODI between England and Australia at Lord’s, London on Sunday.

No. 9 Penn State celebrates JoePa’s return to field with 31-7 win over Akron

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — The most compelling part of Penn State’s 31-7 win Saturday over Akron turned out to be the pregame introductions.

Sea The Stars captures Irish Champion Stakes, installed as Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe favorite

LEOPARDSTOWN, Ireland — Sea The Stars won the Irish Champion Stakes by more than a length Saturday for a fifth straight Group 1 victory.

Joe Paterno returns to sideline for No. 9 Penn State’s season-opener with Akron

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Hall of Fame coach Joe Paterno has returned to the sideline for No. 9 Penn State’s season-opener against Akron.

Hall of Fame jockey Milo Valenzuela dies at 74 after long illness

ARCADIA, Calif. — Hall of Fame jockey Ismael “Milo” Valenzuela, who twice won the Kentucky Derby and rode five-time Horse of the Year Kelso in the 1960s, died Wednesday after a long illness. He was 74.

Award given to college football’s top scholar-athlete to be renamed for software executive

DALLAS — The Draddy Trophy, given annually to the top scholar-athlete in college football, will be renamed for Bill Campbell, chairman of the software company Intuit and a former player and coach at Columbia University.

Saints safety Usama Young, now known for his Super Bowl ad, looks to prove himself on field

METAIRIE, La. — Usama Young might be better known for his Super Bowl commercial last winter than anything he’s done on a football field in his first two seasons with the New Orleans Saints.

Bobby Robson, who coached England to 1990 World Cup semifinals, dies at 76 of cancer

LONDON — Bobby Robson, the knighted ambassador of English soccer who coached his country to the 1990 World Cup semifinals and won trophies in four countries, died Friday. He was 76.

England great Sydney Barnes inducted into ICC Cricket Hall of Fame(Sports - Re-issue with correction in second para)

DUBAI - Legendary England bowler Sydney Barnes has been inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

England’s Sydney Barnes inducted into ICC Cricket Hall of Fame

DUBAI - Legendary England bowler Sydney Barnes has been inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

An elusive motocross trick may give the X Games its next big moment

LOS ANGELES — The X Games has lately won more attention for its crashes than its stunts.

Beckett stays unbeaten at home, Boston snaps out of hitting slump in 8-3 win over Oakland

BOSTON — Josh Beckett became the American League’s first 12-game winner and the Boston Red Sox snapped out of a slump with 14 hits in an 8-3 win over the Oakland Athletics on Monday night.

Ricky Henderson and Jim Rice, the walkman and anti-walkman, set to enter Baseball Hall of Fame

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Rickey Henderson knew what was expected every time he batted. So, too, did Jim Rice.

Rebecca Lobo headlines 2010 women’s basketball Hall of Fame class

UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Rebecca Lobo became the first Connecticut player inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, leading a class of six inductees Saturday.

Henderson and Rice, the walkman and anti-walkman, enter Baseball Hall of Fame

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Rickey Henderson knew what was expected every time he batted. So, too, did Jim Rice.

NFL teams, even Steelers, filled with questions as training camps open

Ah, the pleasantries of training camps. The oppressive heat. The two-a-day practices. The stuffy dorm rooms.

Justin Verlander pitches 6-hitter as Tigers beat White Sox 5-1

DETROIT — Justin Verlander allowed one unearned run in a six-hitter as the Detroit Tigers beat the Chicago White Sox 5-1 in the first game of Friday’s day-night doubleheader.

Coach Lou Holtz and Notre Dame legends team ready to face Japan in American football

TOKYO — Lou Holtz expects his players to uphold the Notre Dame football tradition when they face Japan in the Notre Dame Japan Bowl.

Slugger Andruw Jones, still only 32, trying to prove to Rangers he’s not done yet in majors

ARLINGTON, Texas — Andruw Jones hit as many home runs in one game for the Texas Rangers earlier this month — three — as he did all last season as a high-priced, free-agent bust for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Four of eight seeded players fall in second round of Indianapolis tournament

INDIANAPOLIS — Sam Querrey was one of the few seeded players who escaped the second round of the Indianapolis Tennis Championships with a victory.

Kevin Na birdies 9 of last 12 holes for 63 and Canadian Open lead

OAKVILLE, Ontario — Kevin Na birdied the final five holes and nine of his last 12 for a 9-under 63 and a two-stroke lead over Retief Goosen, Scott Verplank and Joe Durant on Thursday during the suspended first round of the 100th Canadian Open.

Padres eliminate 10-20 business office jobs in reorganization

SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Padres have eliminated between 10 and 20 positions as part of what new CEO Jeff Moorad calls the first step of a reorganization of the team’s business operations.

Aybar’s bat, legs lift Angels to 8-5 win over struggling Royals in opener of doubleheader

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Erick Aybar created problems with his bat and on the bases, and Ervin Santana scuffled through six innings to help the Los Angeles Angels beat the Kansas Royals 8-5 Tuesday in the first game of a doubleheader.

London calling: Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski will go for more gold, coaching US at 2012 Olympics

LAS VEGAS — Mike Krzyzewski could have left international basketball on top, having returned the United States to its longtime position as the world’s best.

Oxford to host two-day ICC history conference this week

DUBAI/LONDON - An outstanding group of current and former administrators and players as well as leading academics, historians and statisticians will gather this week in Oxford for the ICC History Conference.

Hershel McGriff attempts comeback in NASCAR’s West series at age 81

PORTLAND, Ore. — At 81, Hershel McGriff’s reasoning for making a racing comeback came down to a simple question: Why not?

To boy whose life Jim Rice helped save, baseball immortality too long in coming

BOSTON — The best thing Jim Rice did in a Red Sox uniform probably won’t be mentioned on his Hall of Fame plaque.

Ski home: US Ski Team feels on top at new headquarters/training center in Utah

PARK CITY, Utah — All that’s missing is snow.

Leslie Visser voted top female sportscaster by American Sportscasters Association

NEW YORK — Lesley Visser is tops in her field.