FanFare 3/17/03

Briefly

Baseball

Alex Rodriguez was expected back in the Texas Rangers' spring training camp in Surprise, Ariz., late Sunday after being sidelined with a small herniated disc in his neck.

The star shortstop was to resume modified workouts today. He was examined by Dr. Drew Dossett in Dallas on Sunday morning and cleared to return to Arizona.

Rodriguez began to feel weak after Tuesday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He still felt pain Wednesday, then went home Thursday to Dallas, where a CT scan revealed the inflammation.

Former major leaguer Tug McGraw is undergoing neurological evaluation at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa and is scheduled to have surgery early this week.

In a statement released Sunday by the hospital through the Philadelphia Phillies, Dr. Steven Brem said evidence of a malignant brain tumor is "inconclusive." Brem is the program leader of Moffitt's neuro-oncology program and an expert in brain mapping and neuronavigation.

Officials declined to release any further information about the planned surgery.

Two sources close to the former star pitcher, who spoke on condition of anonymity, previously said that doctors at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater diagnosed McGraw with a malignant brain tumor after he was hospitalized on Wednesday.

The 58-year-old McGraw was hospitalized Wednesday. He has been a special spring training instructor for the Phillies the last two seasons.

Basketball

The NBA players' union sent a letter to members last month warning them about ephedra, the supplement linked to the death of Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler during spring training. Ephedra is not banned by the NBA.

Union director Billy Hunter sent a letter alerting players to the Bechler case and warning them to consult a doctor before taking anything containing ephedra, union spokesman Dan Wasserman said Sunday.

Bechler was taking the supplement to lose weight at the start of spring training when he collapsed Feb. 16. The 23-year-old pitcher died the next day after his temperature rose to 108 degrees.

Ephedra, which has been linked to heatstroke and heart trouble before, is banned by the NCAA, NFL and International Olympic Committee.

Cavaliers rookie Dajuan Wagner has torn cartilage in his right knee and is expected to miss the rest of the season.

Wagner, Cleveland's No. 1 pick and the sixth overall selection in the 2002 draft, said he will undergo surgery on Tuesday.

Wagner is averaging 13.4 points and 2.8 assists in 47 games.

Colleges

Sprinter Muna Lee of LSU and distance runner Alistair Cragg of Arkansas completed sweeps of their events Saturday to lead their teams to the women's and men's titles in the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Ark.

Lee, who broke the 21-year-old collegiate record in the 200 meters Friday with a time of 22.49 seconds, won the 60 title by coming from behind to edge phenomenal Elva Goulbourne of Auburn. Lee is the first woman to sweep the sprints at the NCAA Indoors in nine years.

Her victory clinched a second consecutive team title for the Lady Tigers, who finished with 62 points. Florida and South Carolina tied for second with 44.

Cragg, a South African who defended his 5,000 title Friday, led a 1-3 Arkansas finish in the 3,000 on Saturday to clinch the 17th indoor championship and 37th track or cross country title for Razorbacks coach John McDonnell.

Arkansas won with 52 points. Auburn finished second with 28, and Nebraska was third with 26.

Cycling

A 22-year-old cyclist was killed Saturday when he collided head-on with a car during the Tucson Bicycle Classic.

Garrett Lemre, a student at UCLA, slammed into the car when he swerved into the opposite lane trying to avoid a group of riders who had fallen, said police Sgt. James Ogden.

Saturday's stage, the second of three, was canceled. The race continued Sunday and included a memorial lap in Lemre's honor.

Lemre, of Ojai, Calif., was the first fatality in the 18-year history of the race, sanctioned by the U.S. Cycling Federation. About 630 riders participated this year.

Tennis

Lleyton Hewitt and girlfriend Kim Clijsters have matching Pacific Life Open titles.

Top-ranked Hewitt beat a weary Gustavo Kuerten 6-1, 6-1 to defend his championship, right after top-seeded Clijsters defeated Lindsay Davenport 6-4, 7-5 in the women's final Sunday in Indian Wells, Calif.

Hewitt, who won his second straight title, was never threatened by Kuerten, who had only about two hours to rest after finishing his rain-delayed semifinal with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 victory over Rainer Schuettler.

-- From wire reports