Sports briefs 5/24/05

Baseball

* The Reds designated closer Danny Graves for assignment on Monday, a day after he made a hand gesture at a taunting fan following his latest poor performance.

Graves, the Reds' career saves leader, gave up five ninth-inning runs in Cleveland's 9-2 victory Sunday at Great American Ball Park, then was booed and taunted by fans as he left the field.

Graves didn't react to the fans as he walked off the field and went to the end of the dugout to get a drink. When he returned to the end by the bat rack, a man in one of the high-priced seats next to the dugout yelled at him. Graves yelled back and made an obscene hand gesture.

Graves spoke with general manager Dan O'Brien and other Reds official by phone before the club decided to designate him for assignment, a move that ends his career with Cincinnati. The Reds have 10 days to trade him or put him on waivers.

The 31-year-old reliever slipped to 1-1 with a 7.76 ERA after his performance Sunday.

The Reds have lost 18 of their last 23 games, falling out of contention in the NL Central.

Basketball

* Jim O'Brien was fired Monday after only one season as coach of the Philadelphia 76ers and replaced by former star Maurice Cheeks.

O'Brien, a Philadelphia native who played for Saint Joseph's, guided the Sixers to a 49-33 record. They were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Detroit.

Golf

* Ayako Okamoto, who won 62 times around the world and became the only Japanese player to win the LPGA Tour money title, has been elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Okamoto was elected on the International ballot, the Hall of Fame announced Monday. She earned 52 percent of votes cast by writers, Hall of Fame members and golf officials, and joins Vijay Singh -- previously elected from the PGA Tour ballot -- in this year's class.

Neither received the minimum 65 percent for election. However, the Hall of Fame added a stipulation two years ago that if no candidate receives the minimum, the player with the most votes will be elected as long as that player gets at least 50 percent of the vote.

Jumbo Ozaki received 48 percent of the vote and two-time major winner Sandy Lyle got 29 percent. Rounding out the top five were Kel Nagle (25 percent) and Ian Woosnam (25 percent).

Olympics

* A vote on the state's commitment to the proposed $2 billion stadium in Manhattan to be used by the New York Jets and considered crucial for New York's chances of hosting the 2012 Olympics was postponed Monday.

State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver postponed the vote, which was scheduled for Wednesday. No new date was set for the state Public Authorities Control Board to act on the proposal.

U.S. Olympic officials have said the proposal must be approved before the International Olympic Committee chooses the 2012 site on July 6.

Soccer

* Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner Malcolm Glazer said Monday he plans to take Manchester United off the London Stock Exchange as early as June 22, putting the world's richest soccer team into private ownership.

In a statement to the stock exchange, Glazer's Red Football Ltd. said the "cancellation of trading in Manchester United Shares" would take effect June 22 "or as soon thereafter as is practicable."

Glazer also moved Monday to buy out the team's remaining shareholders, and told the stock exchange he had increased his ownership stake to 76.2 percent.

Glazer is offering $5.55 a share, the same price he offered earlier this month in a $1.47 billion takeover deal. The offer expires June 13.

As the owner of more than 75 percent of the club's shares, Glazer can take it private. Manchester United has been traded on the stock exchange since 1991.