Sports briefs 1/31/04

Baseball

Country singer Garth Brooks was invited Friday as a non-roster player to the Kansas City Royals' spring training camp that opens Feb. 20 in Surprise, Ariz. Brooks' visit is designed to promote his charity, Teammates for Kids.

David Ortiz and the Boston Red Sox agreed to a one-year contract worth $4,587,500. The designated hitter-first baseman, who made $1.25 million last year, was among four Red Sox players who filed for arbitration. Ortiz was third in the AL with a .592 slugging percentage and hit .288 with 31 homers, 39 doubles and 101 RBIs in his first season with Boston after signing as a free agent.

Basketball

The Utah Jazz were fined $15,000 by the NBA for a skit that ridiculed Karl Malone and teammate Kobe Bryant during a timeout in the Los Angeles Lakers' game at Utah last week. NBA vice president Stu Jackson levied the fine, issuing a two-paragraph statement saying the Jazz were penalized for "performing a mascot skit that ridiculed opposing players."

Football

John Elway, the star quarterback of the Denver Broncos, and Barry Sanders, the superb running back with the Detroit Lions, are the favorites for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame today. A minimum of four selections must be made. Also on the ballot are Art Monk, Bob Hayes, Carl Eller, Jim Marshall, Harry Carson, Richard Dent, Gary Zimmerman, Bob Kuechenberg, Bob Brown, Cliff Harris, Lester Hayes, Rayfield Wright and George Young.

Sprinter Dwain Chambers will try his luck at an NFL Europe training camp because of a possible ban from track and field next month. Chambers tested positive for the previously undetectable steroid THG. He faces a UK Athletics hearing in mid-February, hoping to avoid a suspension from the British Olympic Association that would rule him out of the Athens Olympics in August.

Golf

Phil Mickelson stayed on pace to win back-to-back tournaments for the first time in his career Friday, shooting a 3-under-par 68 to take a one-shot lead in the FBR Open. Mickelson had three birdies and an eagle before bogeying the last two holes. His 36-hole score of 10-under 132 was just beyond the reach of Jonathan Kaye, Jeff Sluman and first-round leader Scott Verplank.

Tom Watson birdied the seventh hole -- worth three skins and $70,000 -- to take the lead in the Champions Skins Game. Watson, the 2003 Champions Tour player of the year, blasted out of the bunker on the par-5, 555-yard hole to set up his birdie chance. Jack Nicklaus, who turned 64 last week, was second with three skins worth $60,000. Arnold Palmer had two skins and $50,000. Defending champion Lee Trevino was shut out.

Denmark's Thomas Bjorn shot a 4-under-par 68 to take a two-stroke lead after two rounds of the Johnnie Walker Classic. Bjorn finished at 12-under-par 132 at the Alpine Golf and Sports Club. David Lynn was second at 10-under 130 after a 6-under 66, and Nick Faldo, looking for his first victory since 1997, followed an opening 65 with a 2-under 70 and was third at 9 under. Defending champion Ernie Els is in a tie for seventh at 7 under.

Hockey

Rangers star Eric Lindros will be sidelined indefinitely after sustaining the eighth concussion of his career. Lindros was checked Thursday by Dr. Karen Johnston, a neurological specialist in Montreal, and returned later that evening to his home in New York. Lindros has not rejoined the team, and no timetable has been set for a return.

-- From wire reports