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| AP Photo | Marcio Jose Sanchez Arizona Diamondbacks’ Orlando Hudson, wearing Jackie Robinson's number, warms up as a tribute to Robinson plays on the big screen before the start of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants in San Francisco yesterday. |
From The Associated Press
Robinson’s legacy set in stone at Citi Field
NEW YORK—Rachel Robinson walked past cheering construction workers and into the Jackie Robinson Rotunda for the first time, stood on a balcony above the 160-foot wide floor and was awed as she gazed at the 70-foot high arches.
'It's like walking into a cathedral in a way,' she said. 'I love St. Peter's in Rome, but I don't know if I can compare this to St. Peter's.'
On the 61st anniversary of the day her husband broke major league baseball's color barrier, more than 330 players, managers and coaches — including nine entire teams — wore Jackie Robinson's No. 42 to celebrate the Hall of Famer's accomplishments. The center of the celebration was at Citi Field, the New York Mets' $800 million ballpark under construction adjacent to Shea Stadium.
The Mets unveiled designs for the rotunda, which will contain eight huge pictures of Robinson and have an 8-foot statue of his number in Dodger blue. It will be the central entrance for the ballpark, which opens in 2009, and the Mets estimate 30,000 fans per game will pass through.
'People will say: 'I'll meet you at 42.' Everybody will know where that is,' Mets owner Fred Wilpon said, lovingly putting his hand on the back of Rachel Robinson, still spry at age 85.
But even as her husband's legacy was being memorialized in stone, brick and terrazzo, a study was released that said blacks made up only 8.2 percent of major league players last year, down from 8.4 percent in 2006 and the lowest level in more than two decades. The figure was 19 percent as recently as 1995 according to Richard Lapchick of the University of Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports.
'I'm very disappointed by that fact,' Robinson said. 'Competition from other sports is certainly a big factor but there are many factors. We've got to work on it in terms of getting younger children playing, into the game, and getting communities behind the programs.'
Robinson also announced the Jackie Robinson Foundation will open a Jackie Robinson Museum in the Tribeca section of Lower Manhattan and that half of the $25 million cost has been raised for the museum, projected to open in 2010.
Cardinals get prime time NFL games
TEMPE—Two prime time games highlight the coming NFL season for the Arizona Cardinals, one of them on Thanksgiving night.
The Cardinals will be home against the San Francisco 49ers on Nov. 10 for ESPN's Monday Night Football, according to the schedule unveiled on Tuesday. Arizona will play at Philadelphia Nov. 27, Thanksgiving night. That game will be televised by the NFL Network. It was one of three Thanksgiving games. The others are Tennessee at Detroit and Seattle at Dallas.
'I am excited that we have an opportunity to play in front of a national audience a number of times,' coach Ken Whisenhunt said. 'I know it is a sign of respect for the number of quality players that we have.'
The last time the franchise played on Thanksgiving was at Dallas in 1985, two years before the team moved from St. Louis to Arizona.
'Any time you get a chance, on a national stage, to show what we can do — and that will be a critical part of the season for us hopefully — it is something to look forward to,' Whisenhunt said.
The Cardinals open their season Sept. 7 at San Francisco. Their home opener will be Sept. 14 against the Miami Dolphins.
Beasley leaving Kansas State for NBA
MANHATTAN, Kan.—After putting together one of the best freshman seasons ever, Michael Beasley is headed to the NBA.
Kansas State's All-American freshman announced Monday that he will skip his final three seasons to enter the June 26 NBA draft, where he could be the No. 1 overall pick.
'It's time to take my game to the next level,' Beasley said as his family and several teammates looked on. 'I think I proved myself over the course of the season. I just think it's time for new challenges.'
Fellow freshman Bill Walker also announced Monday that he was making himself eligible for the draft, but he won't sign with an agent. That means that Walker, who averaged 16.1 points and 6.3 rebounds this season, can remove his name prior to the draft and be eligible to return to Kansas State for his sophomore year.
Beasley dominated his lone college season, averaging 26.2 points and becoming just the third freshman in NCAA history to lead the nation in rebounds at 12.4 per game. He had the second-most rebounds and third-most points by a freshman in NCAA history, helping Kansas State to its first NCAA tournament victory in 20 years.
Beasley also was a consensus All-American, was named Big 12 player of the year and finished second to North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough for numerous player of the year awards.
Nuggets' Anthony arrested on DUI charge
DENVER—NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony was arrested early Monday on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, hours after his worst game of the season.
The Denver Nuggets forward was arrested on Interstate 25, police said. He was alone in the car and pulled over for weaving and not dimming his lights.
Detective Sharon Hahn said Anthony failed a series of sobriety tests. He was charged with DUI, then taken to police headquarters before being released to a 'sober responsible party,' Hahn said. Anthony is due in court May 14.
Mark Warkentien, the Nuggets' vice president of basketball operations, said the team was aware of the situation but declined comment. The Nuggets did not practice Monday and Anthony wasn't available. He's expected at practice Tuesday.
Anthony's attorney, Dan Recht, said his client consented to a blood test, but results won't be available for about two weeks.
Olympic torch gets friendly welcome from Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan—The Olympic torch came to Pakistan early Wednesday for what the pro-China government hoped would be a festive and trouble-free leg of its world tour.
Protests against China's human rights record disrupted the torch's passage through Western cities last week, and Pakistani authorities took pains to avoid any repeat during its short stay en route to Beijing.
A jetliner bringing the torch from the Persian Gulf sultanate of Oman arrived at the military section of Islamabad airport shortly after midnight. A Chinese Olympic official carried a lantern containing the flame down the steps to Pakistani sports chiefs and the Chinese ambassador.
After briefly posing with the lantern, the officials entered the terminal. State TV said the flame would be kept at a luxury hotel overnight.
Rose going to NBA, Calipari agrees to extension
MEMPHIS, Tenn.—Memphis freshman Derrick Rose announced he was jumping to the NBA Tuesday, the same day coach John Calipari agreed in principle to a contract extension with the school.
Rose capped his spectacular first season by leading Memphis to the national championship game, where they lost to Kansas in overtime.
The 6-foot-3 guard from Chicago averaged 20.8 points in six NCAA tournament games and will likely be taken with one of the top picks in the draft.
Terms of Calipari's deal have not been finalized.
Titans' Jones delays filing for reinstatement
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Suspended Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones says he's delaying filing for reinstatement with the NFL until a possible trade is worked out.
Jones on Tuesday told the Michael Irvin Show on ESPN Radio that he had planned to seek reinstatement but changed his mind for now.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Jones for the 2007 season for his off-field conduct, which includes six arrests since being drafted. Goodell rejected appeals to let Jones take part in training camp or return after 10 games.
The suspension does not stop the Titans from trading Jones' contract.
Robinson’s legacy set in stone at Citi Field
NEW YORK—Rachel Robinson walked past cheering construction workers and into the Jackie Robinson Rotunda for the first time, stood on a balcony above the 160-foot wide floor and was awed as she gazed at the 70-foot high arches.
'It's like walking into a cathedral in a way,' she said. 'I love St. Peter's in Rome, but I don't know if I can compare this to St. Peter's.'
On the 61st anniversary of the day her husband broke major league baseball's color barrier, more than 330 players, managers and coaches — including nine entire teams — wore Jackie Robinson's No. 42 to celebrate the Hall of Famer's accomplishments. The center of the celebration was at Citi Field, the New York Mets' $800 million ballpark under construction adjacent to Shea Stadium.
The Mets unveiled designs for the rotunda, which will contain eight huge pictures of Robinson and have an 8-foot statue of his number in Dodger blue. It will be the central entrance for the ballpark, which opens in 2009, and the Mets estimate 30,000 fans per game will pass through.
'People will say: 'I'll meet you at 42.' Everybody will know where that is,' Mets owner Fred Wilpon said, lovingly putting his hand on the back of Rachel Robinson, still spry at age 85.
But even as her husband's legacy was being memorialized in stone, brick and terrazzo, a study was released that said blacks made up only 8.2 percent of major league players last year, down from 8.4 percent in 2006 and the lowest level in more than two decades. The figure was 19 percent as recently as 1995 according to Richard Lapchick of the University of Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports.
'I'm very disappointed by that fact,' Robinson said. 'Competition from other sports is certainly a big factor but there are many factors. We've got to work on it in terms of getting younger children playing, into the game, and getting communities behind the programs.'
Robinson also announced the Jackie Robinson Foundation will open a Jackie Robinson Museum in the Tribeca section of Lower Manhattan and that half of the $25 million cost has been raised for the museum, projected to open in 2010.
Cardinals get prime time NFL games
TEMPE—Two prime time games highlight the coming NFL season for the Arizona Cardinals, one of them on Thanksgiving night.
The Cardinals will be home against the San Francisco 49ers on Nov. 10 for ESPN's Monday Night Football, according to the schedule unveiled on Tuesday. Arizona will play at Philadelphia Nov. 27, Thanksgiving night. That game will be televised by the NFL Network. It was one of three Thanksgiving games. The others are Tennessee at Detroit and Seattle at Dallas.
'I am excited that we have an opportunity to play in front of a national audience a number of times,' coach Ken Whisenhunt said. 'I know it is a sign of respect for the number of quality players that we have.'
The last time the franchise played on Thanksgiving was at Dallas in 1985, two years before the team moved from St. Louis to Arizona.
'Any time you get a chance, on a national stage, to show what we can do — and that will be a critical part of the season for us hopefully — it is something to look forward to,' Whisenhunt said.
The Cardinals open their season Sept. 7 at San Francisco. Their home opener will be Sept. 14 against the Miami Dolphins.
Beasley leaving Kansas State for NBA
MANHATTAN, Kan.—After putting together one of the best freshman seasons ever, Michael Beasley is headed to the NBA.
Kansas State's All-American freshman announced Monday that he will skip his final three seasons to enter the June 26 NBA draft, where he could be the No. 1 overall pick.
'It's time to take my game to the next level,' Beasley said as his family and several teammates looked on. 'I think I proved myself over the course of the season. I just think it's time for new challenges.'
Fellow freshman Bill Walker also announced Monday that he was making himself eligible for the draft, but he won't sign with an agent. That means that Walker, who averaged 16.1 points and 6.3 rebounds this season, can remove his name prior to the draft and be eligible to return to Kansas State for his sophomore year.
Beasley dominated his lone college season, averaging 26.2 points and becoming just the third freshman in NCAA history to lead the nation in rebounds at 12.4 per game. He had the second-most rebounds and third-most points by a freshman in NCAA history, helping Kansas State to its first NCAA tournament victory in 20 years.
Beasley also was a consensus All-American, was named Big 12 player of the year and finished second to North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough for numerous player of the year awards.
Nuggets' Anthony arrested on DUI charge
DENVER—NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony was arrested early Monday on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, hours after his worst game of the season.
The Denver Nuggets forward was arrested on Interstate 25, police said. He was alone in the car and pulled over for weaving and not dimming his lights.
Detective Sharon Hahn said Anthony failed a series of sobriety tests. He was charged with DUI, then taken to police headquarters before being released to a 'sober responsible party,' Hahn said. Anthony is due in court May 14.
Mark Warkentien, the Nuggets' vice president of basketball operations, said the team was aware of the situation but declined comment. The Nuggets did not practice Monday and Anthony wasn't available. He's expected at practice Tuesday.
Anthony's attorney, Dan Recht, said his client consented to a blood test, but results won't be available for about two weeks.
Olympic torch gets friendly welcome from Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan—The Olympic torch came to Pakistan early Wednesday for what the pro-China government hoped would be a festive and trouble-free leg of its world tour.
Protests against China's human rights record disrupted the torch's passage through Western cities last week, and Pakistani authorities took pains to avoid any repeat during its short stay en route to Beijing.
A jetliner bringing the torch from the Persian Gulf sultanate of Oman arrived at the military section of Islamabad airport shortly after midnight. A Chinese Olympic official carried a lantern containing the flame down the steps to Pakistani sports chiefs and the Chinese ambassador.
After briefly posing with the lantern, the officials entered the terminal. State TV said the flame would be kept at a luxury hotel overnight.
Rose going to NBA, Calipari agrees to extension
MEMPHIS, Tenn.—Memphis freshman Derrick Rose announced he was jumping to the NBA Tuesday, the same day coach John Calipari agreed in principle to a contract extension with the school.
Rose capped his spectacular first season by leading Memphis to the national championship game, where they lost to Kansas in overtime.
The 6-foot-3 guard from Chicago averaged 20.8 points in six NCAA tournament games and will likely be taken with one of the top picks in the draft.
Terms of Calipari's deal have not been finalized.
Titans' Jones delays filing for reinstatement
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Suspended Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones says he's delaying filing for reinstatement with the NFL until a possible trade is worked out.
Jones on Tuesday told the Michael Irvin Show on ESPN Radio that he had planned to seek reinstatement but changed his mind for now.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Jones for the 2007 season for his off-field conduct, which includes six arrests since being drafted. Goodell rejected appeals to let Jones take part in training camp or return after 10 games.
The suspension does not stop the Titans from trading Jones' contract.
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