Sports FanFare 9/12/02

Baseball

The Cubs acquired two minor league pitchers from Houston on Wednesday, completing the four-player trade that sent closer Tom Gordon to the Astros last month. The Cubs acquired right-handers Travis Anderson and Mike Nannini.

Due to a lack of sufficient evidence, the Orange County district attorney will not file sexual asault charges against Angels left hander Jarrod Washburn. A 16-year-old girl called police from an Orange County hospital room on Sept. 1 and made the allegation, prompting an investigation by the Anaheim Police Department.

Manny Ramirez was fined an undisclosed amount by Red Sox manager Grady Little for not running out a grounder in Monday's game against Tampa Bay. Little admitted to making a mistake by not taking Ramirez out of the game. Ramirez, who apoligized to his coaches and his teammates in the dugout after the lapse, declined comment.

Basketball

After almost three months of indecision, Shaquille O'Neal had surgery on his chronically sore big toe and could miss the beginning of the season. Recovery and rehabilitation time for the Lakers' center is expected to be 6-to-8 weeks, said Dr. Robert Mohr, who removed bone spurs from a joint on the arthritic right big toe at at UCLA's Outpatient Surgery Center. That means O'Neal could miss the three-time defending NBA champion Lakers' regular-season opener against San Antonio on Oct. 29. If he had surgery earlier, he probably would have been at full speed by the time the season began.

Chris Webber, the $123 million star of the Kings, pleaded innocent to charges of lying to a grand jury and obstructing justice. Webber is accused of interfering with the grand jury's investigation of former University of Michigan booster Ed Martin. Martin, a retired autoworker, says he lent Webber $280,000 while the basketball standout was in high school and at Michigan.

The FBI has launched an investigation into the disappearance of former Pistons center Bison Dele and his girlfriend during a boating trip in the Pacific Ocean. Dele, girlfriend Serena Karlan and boat captain Bertrand Saldo have been missing for two months, said Andrew Black, spokesman for the FBI's San Francisco office.

Boxing

Mike Tyson will likely make his return to the ring in December, with a fight against Clifford Etienne. Tyson's manager, Shelly Finkel, said he hoped to have a deal worked out next week for a Dec. 7 fight that would be Tyson's first since being stopped by Lennox Lewis in June. Finkel said the site for the fight has not been finalized.

Colleges

Utah running back Marty Johnson, the nation's leadng rusher with a 202.5-yard average will be sidelined four to six weeks because of a sprained right knee. Johnson was injured on the first play of the fourth quarter on Saturday, while in the midst of a 229 yard rushing game.

Football

Falcons cornerback Ray Buchanan, one of the NFL's best, was suspended for four games for using steroids despite insisting he took them by mistake. The league's suspension begins with the home opener Sunday against the Bears, a rare sellout for the team. Buchanan can have no contact with the Falcons during his suspension, which will last through the Oct. 13 game against the Giants.

Hockey

Mark Messier agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the Rangers to return for his 24th NHL season -- ninth with New York. The 41-year-old center was limited to 41 games last season because of injuries.

Horse racing

War Emblem, the three year old colt who made a serious bid for the triple crown in 2002, will spend his retirment years in Japan. The 2002 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner has been sold to the Yoshida family as a stallion prospect.

Olympics

Japan's Central and Pacific Leagues will send a team of their All-Stars to the Athens Olympics. In the past, Japanese baseball owners -- in particular Tsuneo Watanabe of the Central League's Yomiuri Giants -- have refused to allow their top players to take part in the Olympics.

-- From staff reports