Sports briefs 5/6/04

Baseball

Mike Piazza broke Carlton Fisk's major league record for home runs as a catcher Wednesday night, hitting No. 352 in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants. Piazza drove a 3-1 pitch from Jerome Williams off the bottom of the scoreboard in right-center to give the New York Mets a 1-0 lead. The 10-time All-Star got a warm greeting in the dugout from his teammates and bounced out for a curtain call. Piazza, who has started playing some games at first base recently, has 363 homers overall, 58th on the career list. He tied Fisk's mark of 351 on April 27 at Dodger Stadium with a solo shot off Hideo Nomo.

Basketball

Indiana Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal won the Magic Johnson Award on Wednesday for his cooperation with the media. Voted on by the Professional Basketball Writers Association, the award is given annually to a player who is both successful on the court and professional with the media. O'Neal, who finished third in MVP voting earlier this week, has earned a reputation as a readily accessible star who gives thoughtful responses to questions.

College

Iowa athletic director Bob Bowlsby said it would be "highly unethical" for Missouri to cancel half of a four-game football series scheduled to start in 2005. Missouri officials want to drop Iowa from the 2005 and 2006 football schedules and play Arkansas State instead. The two schools also are to meet in the 2007 and '08 season, and Missouri intends to play those games, associate athletic director Ed Stewart said. Bowlsby said Missouri should honor all four years of the contract. The games were scheduled in 1994. "I haven't broken a contract like this in 25 years in the business, and I don't think others should start doing it," Bowlsby said. "I think it's highly unethical and I'm very surprised by it." Bowlsby said Missouri was trying to lighten its schedule. Iowa is coming off seasons of 11-2 and 10-3 and consecutive January bowl appearances. Arkansas State has gone 6-7 and 5-7 the last two years.

Hockey

Edmonton Oilers goalie Ty Conklin posted a shutout in a penalty shootout, and Andy Roach's goal put the United States in the World Hockey Championships semifinals with an upset of the Czech Republic on Wednesday. Roach gave the Americans a 1-0 shootout win after the teams tied 2-2 through regulation and overtime. In the shootout, the first four shooters for each team missed. Then Roach, a defenseman who plays in the German league, made a left-to-right fake in front of Nashville Predators goalie Tomas Vokoun and stuffed the puck into the open net. The U.S. opponent Saturday will be Sweden, which beat Latvia 4-1 with a goal and assist from Ottawa Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson.

-- From wire reports