FanFare 10/3/02

Baseball

Jerry Royster knew he was out as manager of the Brewers after last week's front office shakeup. The official firing came Wednesday and made Royster the sixth major league manager to lose his job in the last four days.

Players who plead guilty to drug possession face automatic suspensions under baseball's new labor contract. The drug prevention program, the first one agreed to by players and owners since 1985, was included in the "memorandum of understanding" signed Tuesday by the sides. Copies were released Wednesday.

In the end, Bobby Valentine was right. During the depths of a 12-game losing streak that doomed the New York Mets' season, owner Fred Wilpon issued one of his repeated assurances that Valentine and general manager Steve Phillips would be back next season for the final year of their contracts Valentine noted the endorsement and observed that the boss could always change his mind. Wilpon did just that -- at least half of it. The owner fired Valentine two days after the dreary Mets finished in last place and two years after they played in the World Series.

A hearing to determine whether Ted Williams' oldest daughter can continue her fight with her half brother to have the baseball great's body cremated instead of placed in deep freeze was postponed by attorneys. The hearing, scheduled for today was moved to Nov. 6 because of scheduling conflicts, said Bob Goldman, an attorney for Williams' son, John Henry Williams.

Yankees outfielder Rondell White was held out of the starting lineup for Game 2 of the AL division series against Anaheim because of a strained left hamstring. White injured the hamstring running out a ball in Game 1 on Tuesday night.

Colleges

Cincinnati basketball coach Bob Huggins was transferred to Christ Hospital in Cincinnati as he recovers from a heart attack. The 49-year-old Huggins, moved from the Medical Center in Beaver, Pa., was examined by cardiologist Dr. Dean Kereiakes on Wednesday and was listed in serious but stable condition, hospital spokeswoman Dona Buckler said. Officials planned to release more details about Huggins in the next day or two, Buckler said.

College football

Notre Dame is 4-0 in the eyes of the Bowl Championship Series after all. Reversing a decision made less than two weeks ago, the BCS said the win by the Fighting Irish over Maryland in the Kickoff Classic will count toward qualifying for a BCS bowl game. The change means the ninth-ranked Irish are now five wins away from qualifying for one of two at-large berths for BCS bowl games -- Fiesta, Rose, Orange and Sugar. Under BCS rules, teams must have nine "nonexempt" wins to earn a chance to play in a BCS game.

Football

Many NFL quarterbacks would feel uncomfortable going a few weeks without starting, but Tommy Maddox is about to learn what it's like to play after 10 years without a start. Maddox, a former Broncos first-round flop who revived his career in the Arena League and earned another NFL shot by starring in the XFL, will be the Steelers' starter Sunday in New Orleans.

NBA

New Orleans forward Matt Bullard did not pass his physical because of a degenerative disc disease on his lower spine.

-- From wire reports