FanFare 8/22/02

Baseball

The Cardinals on Wednesday signed shortstop Calvin Hayes, their top pick in the June draft, to a contract for next season.

Top officials from the American Swimming Coaches Association have a big beef with Major League Baseball union head Donald Fehr. The organization wants to kick Fehr off the board of the United States Olympic Committee, USA Today reported. The group is upset with Fehr's fight against drug testing for baseball players.

Basketball

Bill Stokes, the referee who collapsed during a WNBA playoff game, was upgraded from critical to serious condition.

The Cavaliers have matched the six-year, $34 million offer Ricky Davis received last week from the Timberwolves.

Colleges

The Big 12 landed an eighth bowl spot this season, adding the Humanitarian Bowl at Boise, Idaho.

Football

Jeff Robinson, the former Ram signed by the Cowboys as a deep snapper to solve one of that team's biggest problems, is expected to miss the season because of a torn ligament in his right knee.

The 49ers, who spent much of the spring attempting to add another veteran receiver to their mix, accomplished that goal, with ESPN.com confirming that the team was awarded Jeremy McDaniel on a waiver claim.

Former Chiefs and Saints head coach Hank Stram has been selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame's seniors committee as a finalist for election in the class of 2003.

Olympics

A reputed Russian mobster was indicted on charges that he plotted to fix the ice dancing and pairs figure skating competition at the Salt Lake City Olympics. Alimzhan Tokhtakhounov was arrested July 31 in Venice, Italy, to face conspiracy charges contained in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan after an investigation of one of the largest judging scandals in Olympics history.

Tennis

Martina Hingis outlasted hard-hitting Alexandra Stevenson 7-5, 6-4 to advance to the quarterfinals of the Pilot Pen. Anastasia Myskina, Hingis' next opponent, advanced with a 7-6 (2), 6-2 second-round upset over fourth-seeded Justine Henin.

Jan-Michael Gambill outlasted Stefan Koubek 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 in the second round of TD Waterhouse Cup.

-- From wire reports