Sports briefs 7/22/04

Baseball

The Kansas City Royals recalled right-handed pitcher Shawn Camp from Clsas AAA Omaha on Wednesday.

The Boston Red Sox obtained infielder Ricky Gutierrez from the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday for a player to be named or cash. Earlier in the day, Boston put infielder Pokey Reese on the disabled list with a strained ribcage.

College football

Kansas State running back Darren Sproles is the media's preseason pick for the Big 12's offensive player of the year. Sproles, who rushed for a school-record 1,986 yards last year as Kansas State won its first Big 12 championship, was selected Wednesday over Oklahoma quarterback Jason White.

Eddie Robinson, 85, college football's winningest coach, has Alzheimer's, his wife said. "He's pretty bad," Doris Robinson said Wednesday. "He gets a little bit worse every day. He comes to the table for breakfast, but after that he wants to go right to bed." During his 57 years at Grambling, a career which spanned 11 presidents, several wars and the civil rights movement, Robinson compiled a record of 408-165-15.

Golf

Laura Davies shot an 8-under 64 Wednesday to lead Annika Sorenstam and two others by two strokes after the Evian Masters' opening round. "It was just a nice day, and I was solid all the way," said Davies, who had an eagle, seven birdies and a bogey at the event in France. U.S. Women's Open winner Meg Mallon and 14-year-old amateur Michelle Wie both were at 71, part of a group in 25th place.

Hockey

The NHL and the players' association had their longest negotiating session in nine months on Wednesday, and the league presented six possible concepts for a new economic system. Little progress was made on a new deal, but the representatives met for four hours in the league's Manhattan office to try to come up with a plan that would prevent a lockout next season. It was the fourth meeting since negotiations began last October.

Former St. Louis Blues player Mike Danton, who pleaded guilty last week to federal charges related to a murder-for-hire plot, is being sought as a witness in the murder conspiracy trial of his former girlfriend. Lawyers for Katie Wolfmeyer said Tuesday they want to question Danton at her trial in September.

Motorsports

Champ Car co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven says the open-wheel series doesn't need to merge with the rival Indy Racing League to succeed. "I don't actually think a merger is inevitable, to be honest," Kalkhoven said earlier this week. The two series held exploratory discussions last week. The talks were cordial, but the series issued a joint statement last week saying they had decided to continue on their separate ways.

-- From wire reports