FanFare 12/5/02

Baseball

Rather than put just one person in charge, Baltimore hired Jim Beattie and Mike Flanagan to turn around a franchise mired in a record run of five consecutive losing seasons. Beattie was picked Wednesday as executive vice president of baseball operations. He will work with Flanagan, who was tabbed as successor to Syd Thrift as vice president of baseball operations. The former pitchers will fill the job commonly known as general manager, a post that most teams trust to only one man.

Jeff Montgomery, Kansas City's all-time saves leader and a three-time All-Star, is the newest member of the Royals' Hall of Fame. Montgomery spent 12 of his 13 years in the major leagues with the Royals. He will be inducted in on-field ceremonies on Aug. 16 at Kauffman Stadium.

The New York Yankees reached a preliminary agreement on a $5 million, one-year contract with third baseman Robin Ventura. Ventura, 35, must pass a physical for the deal to be finalized, a Yankees official said on the condition of anonymity.

Outfielder Chris Latham, who spent the entire season in the Mets' minor league system, signed a $400,000, one-year contract with the Yankees. Latham, 29, hit .232 with six home runs, 43 RBIs and 26 stolen bases for Triple-A Norfolk.

Former catcher John Stearns was hired by the Mets to manage their Double-A Binghamton team of the Eastern League.

Basketball

Raptors forward Jerome Williams will have arthroscopic surgery if his left elbow fails to respond to aggressive treatment in the next week. Williams has missed the last three games and is not on the team's four-game road trip.

Football

Chris Weinke wants to talk with coach John Fox after the season about his future with the Carolina Panthers. Weinke has started only one this year in place of the injured Rodney Peete and last week was demoted to third string behind Peete and Randy Fasani.

Hockey

Ron Wilson was hired to coach the San Jose Sharks, three days after the team fired Darryl Sutter and his two assistants. Wilson, fired by Washington last May after four mostly successful seasons, coached the U.S. team in the 1998 Olympics and in two World Cups.

Motorsports

Deborah Renshaw will not ride with Rick Goodwin's Busch team next year after missing her first Busch start because of a crash in practice that killed a driver. Renshaw, recovering from a broken foot, would not elaborate on what prompted the decision.

Soccer

The U.S. soccer team, coming off its best World Cup since 1930, will open its 2003 schedule against Canada on Jan. 18 at Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

People

The tradition continues: Tiger gets new gear

Keeping with a tradition that started when Tiger Woods turned pro, his mother gave him a new Tiger headcover for the 2003 season.

The Tiger headcovers are different than those sold in golf shops because Kultida Woods stitches a message in Thai: "Love From Mom."

What happens to the old one?

His mother makes a list of Tiger's accomplishments for the year, stuffs it inside the headcover and stores it away.

This year's list includes victories in the Masters, U.S. Open, Bay Hill Invitational, Buick Open, American Express Championship and Deutsche Bank-SAP Open in Germany.

She said his victory in the "Battle at Bighorn" did not make the list.

-- From wire reports