TheState.com: Sports

ACC pulling baseball tournament out of Myrtle Beach

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:06 EDT

CLEMSON | The ACC won’t be holding the conference baseball tournament in Myrtle Beach, Commissioner John Swofford said today.

The ACC Baseball Championship will be held at NewBridge Bank Park in Greensboro, N.C. (2012), and the Durham Bulls Athletic Park (2011, 2013). This will give the championship a home through 2013, as the 2010 ACC Baseball Championship will be held in Greensboro, N.C.

The 2011-13 championships were originally awarded to Myrtle Beach. The ACC's decision to hold the tournament in this location was made with the stipulation that discussions be held, and agreements made, with all local and state organizations that had voiced concerns over the Confederate flag being flown on the state grounds of the South Carolina State Capitol.

Since 2000, the conference has supported the NAACP's statements concerning the flag issue and followed the NCAA's policy of not holding pre-determined championships in the state of South Carolina.

In 2005, the conference presidents agreed that the ACC would be willing to consider awarding league championships to venues in the state of South Carolina on a case-by-case basis, provided that the host-site proposal included a plan to work with the NAACP at the local and state levels to ensure a proper environment.

Daytona deals Busch another tough finish

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 12:33 EDT

Kyle Busch climbed out his car window, pulled off his gloves and helmet in disgust and started walking back toward the finish line.

A safety crew coaxed him into a pickup truck and drove him to the infield care center - the same place he ended his last Sprint Cup race at Daytona International Speedway.

"I think he's got a little bit of a headache, but hopefully he's going to be OK," car owner Joe Gibbs said.

Busch might have a stomachache, too, if he thinks about his two Cup races at Daytona this season.

With his No. 18 Toyota out front and the checkered flag in sight Saturday night, Busch looked like he might snatch a win from Tony Stewart in the Coke Zero 400.

Mayfield not on entry list for Chicago race

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:45 EDT

NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield's team isn't on the entry list for Saturday's race at Chicagoland Speedway.

Mayfield, whose drug suspension was overturned by a federal judge last week, still could attempt to qualify for the race.

Under NASCAR rules, teams have until one hour before the first practice to register. That gives Mayfield until Thursday afternoon, but he would have to pay a late entry fee of several thousand dollars. He also could make the race if hired to drive for another team.

NASCAR suspended Mayfield on May 9 after a failed random drug test and said he tested positive for methamphetamine. Mayfield, who has denied using methamphetamine, blamed the positive drug test on the combined use of Adderall for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Claritin-D for allergies.

He sued to get reinstated, and a federal judge issued a temporary injunction last week, clearing the way for his return.

Stewart wins at Daytona after last-lap wreck

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 04:03 EDT

Kyle Busch braced himself for a four-lap "trophy dash" around Daytona International Speedway, intent on snatching a win away from Tony Stewart.

Busch thought he mapped out the strategy to take him to Victory Lane.

Instead, he ended the race in the infield care center after a vicious last-lap accident sent him flying into the wall as Stewart skirted by for a somber win.

"That's not the way I wanted to do it," Stewart said after his Saturday night win gave him his third victory in five years in Daytona's summer race.

Stewart had the dominant car, leading a race-high 86 laps and using a flawless pit-road performance to set himself up for his second win as owner of his race team. But Busch had other ideas, taking the lead seconds before the last lap to start a frantic 2.5-mile chase between the former teammates.

NASCAR asks court to put driver back on suspension

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:54 EDT

NASCAR asked a federal judge Monday to reverse the ruling that lifted driver Jeremy Mayfield's indefinite suspension for failing a random drug test.

The motion filed in U.S. District Court asked Judge Graham Mullen to reverse the injunction he issued last Wednesday that cleared Mayfield to return to competition. NASCAR also filed notice of its intent to appeal to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va.

Mayfield was suspended May 9 for a failed drug test, and NASCAR has identified the substance as methamphetamine.

Despite his reinstatement, Mayfield did not attempt to qualify for Saturday night's event at Daytona International Speedway, and he is not on the preliminary entry list for this weekend's race at Chicago.

NASCAR in its filing disputed Mullen's conclusion that the chance of a false positive on Mayfield's drug test was "quite substantial."

Woods goes to another major off another win

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:25 EDT

Tiger Woods watched good friend Roger Federer in the championship match at Wimbledon for as long as he could before heading out to prepare for the final round of the AT&T National.

The fifth set was tied at 14 when he was on the putting green. When he arrived at the practice range, he heard that Federer finally broke the serve of Andy Roddick to win 16-14, capturing a record 15th title in Grand Slam events, one more than Woods has majors.

He paused to take his cell phone from his golf bag and send Federer a text message: Great job. Now it's my turn."

He smiled as a room full of reporters laughed. Woods knew what they were thinking and quickly corrected them.

"Not by 15," he said. "I meant win today."

Olsen nails it as Nats down Braves, 5-3

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:36 EDT

WASHINGTON — Scott Olsen watched Washington manager Manny Acta stroll to the mound in the eighth inning and figured his day was done. With the two down and the Nationals ahead 4-1, Olsen had walked two hitters to bring the potential tying run to the plate.

Imagine Olsen’s surprise when he didn’t get the hook.

“I told him to tell all these people to save their applause because you’re getting out of it,” Acta said.

Olsen pitched into the ninth inning, newly acquired Nyjer Morgan had three hits and the Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 5-3 on Sunday for their second straight victory.

“It was good, it was satisfying,” said Olsen. “I did OK. I threw the ball down in the zone pretty well for the most part. I kept them off-balance with the offspeed pitches. Too many walks for my liking there, but we did pretty good.”

For the love of the game

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:51 EDT

NEWBERRY — Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame first baseman Willie Stargell once said, “When they start the game, they don’t yell, ‘Work ball.’ They say, ‘Play ball.’”

When 40-year-old Chuck Edwards pulls on his Newberry Pirates jersey to catch nine innings on a 96-degree summer day, he doesn’t consider it work either.

“I just love playing the game,” Edwards said.

And while these Pirates — playing their games in the predominantly African-American Community All-Star Baseball League on a roadside field off U.S. 176 a few miles outside of Newberry — are as far as you can get from the major leagues, that does not matter to men such as Edwards.

Despite playing against men 20 years younger, Edwards does not let a sweltering day stop him from putting on the catcher’s gear for more than three hours.

Kawakami adjusting to life in Atlanta

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:51 EDT

ATLANTA — Five months into his new life in Major League Baseball, Kenshin Kawakami could be a pretty lonely guy by now.

Since February, he has been away from family and friends back in Japan. He has no one here that he is particularly close to and who speaks his language, unless you count Daichi Takasue, his 22-year-old interpreter and, by default, his closest companion.

But that is not how Kawakami sees it.

And he does not need Takasue to answer this question for him: Are you happy?

“Yes,” Kawakami said.

Nationals rally for 5-3 win over Braves

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:51 EDT

WASHINGTON — A mammoth milestone home run by Adam Dunn was upstaged by his simple single that helped Washington rally to beat Atlanta.

Atlanta’s Tommy Hanson extended his scoreless innings streak to 26 before Dunn’s 300th career homer and the Washington Nationals rallied for four eighth-inning runs and a 5-3 victory over the Braves on Saturday.

“That 300th home run would have been hard to talk about. It would have been a useless home run if we hadn’t won the game,” said Dunn, whose RBI single off Eric O’Flaherty snapped a 3-all tie.

Hanson departed with a 3-1 lead after seven innings and was in line for his fifth straight victory before the Braves bullpen blew up, halting Atlanta’s winning streak at a season-high five.

“It was remarkable,” said Nationals manager Manny Acta.