FanFare 8/25/02

Boxing

Unbeaten German Sven Ottke stopped Canadian Joe Gatti in the ninth round Saturday to retain his IBF super middleweight title for the 15th time.

Football

The Eagles strengthened their young wide receiver corps by reaching a contract agreement with free agent Antonio Freeman, ESPN.com reported.

Former Dolphins receiver O.J. McDuffie officially announced his retirement, ending a nine-year NFL career marred in recent years by a recurring toe injury.

Wide receiver Hines Ward, the Steelers' leading pass catcher in 2001, is doubtful for the regular-season opener after undergoing an emergency appendectomy Friday night.

Horse racing

Medaglia d'Oro overcame the only obstacle his trainer felt he had by handling a sloppy track, then he turned back the late run of Repent to win the $1 million Travers Stakes by a half-length on a raw, rainy day at Saratoga.

War Emblem is expected to draw a record crowd to Del Mar today, but the freeway won't be the only place with traffic concerns. The track will be jammed with 14 horses for the $1 million Pacific Classic, in which War Emblem will run against older horses for the first time. He's a 2-1 favorite.

Miscellaneous

After promoting itself as a terrorism-free city, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was selected to host the 2007 Pan American Games, beating out San Antonio.

Obituary

Knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm, the first reliever elected to the Hall of Fame and the last pitcher to throw a no-hitter against the New York Yankees, has died. Wilhelm died Friday of heart failure, said his widow, Peggy. Baseball records listed him at 79 years old, though the funeral home handling the arrangements said he was 80.

Tennis

Venus Williams, the two-time defending U.S. Open champion, beat Lindsay Davenport 7-5, 6-0 to win her fourth straight Pilot Pen title. She's the first woman to win the same tournament four years in a row since Monica Seles did it in the Canadian Open from 1995-98.

Juan Ignacio Chela defeated Alex Corretja and will face Paradorn Srichaphan, a winner over Tommy Haas, today for the TD Waterhouse Cup title.

-- From wire reports