Sports briefs 6/2/04

Baseball

The Kansas City Royals recalled left-handed pitcher Chris George from Omaha on Tuesday and sent right-hander Justin Huisman to the Class AAA team. George started Tuesday night's game against the Detroit Tigers. He was 1-3 with a 2.82 ERA in Omaha.

Basketball

Detroit Pistons center Ben Wallace expects to play for the U.S. men's basketball team at the Olympics in Athens. "They asked me two weeks ago if I would say, 'Yes' to playing on the team, and I said, 'Yes,'" Wallace said Tuesday night before playing Indiana in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. "I don't know if they have decided what to do because they haven't announced it yet." U.S. coach Larry Brown, who is also Wallace's coach in Detroit, said the USA Basketball selection committee will have a conference call this week to find replacements for players who have withdrawn from the roster.

Boxing

When heavyweight Joe Riley steps into the ring Friday night, he'll be making his pro debut at an age when most prizefighters are contemplating retirement. "Everybody says, 'You're 36. You're too old.' I don't feel it at all," Riley said. Riley was the 1998 New York State Golden Gloves superheavyweight champion and stands to make $700 for his first match. He's scheduled to go four rounds with Anthony Attah, a Nigerian who is 1-2-1 in four bouts.

Colleges

Texas reinstated pitchers Justin Simmons and J. Brent Cox on Tuesday, a week after they were arrested on public intoxication charges during the Big 12 tournament. They will be allowed to play in Friday's NCAA tournament game against Youngstown State, Texas coach Augie Garrido said in a statement. The players were suspended on Thursday for a "violation of team rules."

An attempt by the University of Arkansas' athletic department fund-raising arm to reclaim money it has paid to Nolan Richardson was dismissed Tuesday. A federal judge ruled the fired coach has made adequate attempts to find work under terms of his contract. The Razorback Foundation, which is buying out Richardson's contract at $500,000 a year through June 2008, had filed a counterclaim to the ex-coach's discrimination lawsuit.

Football

Adrian McPherson, whose career at Florida State was cut short by gambling accusations, made the Arena League all-rookie team on Tuesday. McPherson led all rookies in yards passing with 3,297, touchdowns with 61, passing attempts with 397 and completions with 397. He also led all rookies with 259 yards rushing and was third in the league overall. His 19 touchdowns rushing were the most by any quarterback in league history.

Tennis

Venus Williams can brag that she lasted longer than her sister at the French Open -- by 28 minutes. Williams again came up short in a bid for her first Grand Slam title since 2001, losing to Anastasia Myskina 6-3, 6-4 Tuesday in the Roland Garros quarterfinals. The upset came less than half an hour after Jennifer Capriati eliminated Serena Williams 6-3, 2-6, 6-3. The other semifinalists are Elena Dementieva of Russia and Paola Suarez of Argentina.

In the men's bracket, third-seeded Guillermo Coria of Argentina became the first men's semifinalist by beating 1998 champion Carlos Moya 7-5, 7-6 (3), 6-3.

-- From wire reports