KWBG Sports for July 11th

HOUSTON (AP) - Houston Rockets center Yao Ming will officially

announce his retirement later this month, ending an eight-year NBA

career in which he averaged 19 points and 9.2 rebounds. A person

with direct knowledge of his decision tells The Associated Press

Yao has decided to retire. The 7-foot-6 Yao has been plagued by leg

and foot injuries late in his career, and missed 250 regular-season

games over the past six seasons.

CINCINNATI (AP) - Bengals cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones was

arrested yesterday morning in Cincinnati on misdemeanor charges of

disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Cincinnati media outlets

reported documents filed in court accuse Jones of being disorderly

and shouting profanities in a bar and trying to pull away as

officers arrested him. His career has been marred by at least six

arrests and a dozen instances that involved police intervention.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Spain has advanced to the Davis Cup

semifinals by knocking out the U.S. David Ferrer clinched it with a

7-5, 7-6, 5-7, 7-6 win over Mardy Fish to give the Spaniards an

insurmountable 3-1 lead. The lone win for the Americans was

provided by the doubles team of Mike and Bob Bryan on Saturday.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) - Hee Kyung Seo will be the

clubhouse leader when the final round of the Women's U.S. Open

resumes later today. Seo finished 3-under following a pair of

3-under 68s, putting her one shot ahead of So Yeon Ryu and two

better than Cristie Kerr when yesterday's play was halted by

darkness. Ryu has three holes remaining, one more than Kerr.

SILVIS, Ill. (AP) - Steve Stricker shot a final round 2-under 69

for a one-shot win over Kyle Stanley at the PGA's John Deere

Classic. Stricker finished 22 shots under par, five shots better

than third-place finishers Matt McQuillan and Zach Johnson.

KWBG Sports for July 8th

NEW YORK (AP) - Baseball history could be made tonight at Yankee

Stadium. Yankee captain Derek Jeter needs two hits to become the

28th major leaguer to compile 3,000 hits and Jeter would be the

first to do it exclusively in a Yankee uniform.

UNDATED (AP) - Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino

and Chicago White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko have been elected

to the All-Star team by online fan voting. And Los Angeles Angels

closer Jordan Walden will replace the Yankees' Mariano Rivera, who

has soreness in his right arm and hasn't pitched since July 3.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The Atlanta Braves charge into a crucial

midseason series in Philadelphia two and a-half games back of the

Phils, but on a roll. The Braves are coming off their first

four-game sweep of Colorado in 18 years and have won nine of 10 and

14 of 17 as they face 10-game winner Roy Halladay in tonight's

series opener.

LAS VEGAS (AP) - The baseball world is mourning the death of

Hall of Fame manager Dick Williams, who won two World Series titles

with Oakland and led two other teams to pennants. The Hall of Fame

said Williams died from a ruptured aortic aneurysm at a hospital

near his home in Henderson, Nev., at age 82.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) - They'll try to get an early start

today at the U.S. Women's Open after thunderstorms cut short

opening round play. Cristie Kerr and amateur Amy Anderson are tied

at 2-under late in their first round but only 25 players were able

to complete their round with some 72 players never getting to tee

off at all because of the weather.

KWBG Sports for July 7th

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Albert Pujols (POO'-hohls) went 1-for-6 with an

RBI in his return to action for the St. Louis Cardinals in their

9-8, 13-inning loss to Cincinnati last night. The three-time

National League MVP returned to action nearly a month ahead of

schedule after suffering a broken left wrist last month.

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Now that Albert Pujols (POO'-hohls) has

returned to the St. Louis lineup, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa

says he'd love to see the slugger in next Tuesday's All-Star Game

as an injury substitution. La Russa's only objection would be if

Pujols was part of the Home Run Derby competition, which can take

an injury toll on a player.

CLEVELAND (AP) - Derek Jeter went 1-for-3 with a walk last night

in a 5-3 loss in Cleveland, leaving him three hits shy of the 3,000

mark. Jeter and the New York Yankees open a homestand tonight

against the Tampa Bay Rays.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Jury selection in the Roger Clemens' perjury

trial in Washington is expected to continue today and could go into

next week. Clemens, the former fireballer who won 354 major league

games and is one of four hurlers with more than 4,000 strikeouts,

is charged with lying to Congress on the issue of

performance-enhancing drugs.

NEW YORK (AP) - NFL owners and players find themselves in

hurry-up mode as time gets tight to reach labor peace one month

before the Hall of Fame game is scheduled to start the preseason on

Aug. 7. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (guh-DEHL') and players

association chief DeMaurice Smith plan to return to the

negotiations today, along with several owners and players.

KWBG Sports for July 7th

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Three-time National League MVP Albert Pujols

(POO'-hohls) is expected to start at first base when the St. Louis

Cardinals host Cincinnati tonight. Pujols was activated from the

15-day disabled list before the Cards' 8-1 win last night after

making a quick recovery from a fractured forearm.

NEW YORK (AP) - Roger Goodell and DeMaurice Smith will conduct

NFL labor talks this week after letting the lawyers handle

paperwork for two days in an attempt to end their labor stalemate.

On Thursday, Goodell and Smith will resume their discussions, with

owners and players present and one person with knowledge of the

negotiations says those talks could last into the weekend if a new

deal appears imminent.

NEW YORK (AP) - Today is the 115th day of the NFL labor lockout

and time is gradually becoming a factor in the discussions.

Training camps for the Rams and Bears are scheduled to open in less

than three weeks, and those teams are scheduled to play in the Hall

of Fame game on Aug. 7.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - As expected, Tiger Woods says he's

passing up next week's British Open because his left leg isn't

completely healed. Woods, whose 14 major titles ranks four back of

all-time leader Jack Nicklaus, will have one final shot at a major

this year at the PGA Championship Aug. 11-14 in Atlanta.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Frank Vogel, who took over for Jim O'Brien

in the middle of last season and led the Indiana Pacers to the

playoffs, is expected to be named to the job at a news conference

today in Indianapolis. The team finished the year 20-18 under Vogel

and made the playoffs for the first time since 2006, losing in five

games to top-seeded Chicago.

KWBG Sports for July 5th

CLEVELAND (AP) - The New York Yankees had Derek Jeter back in

the lineup last night for the first time since he suffered a calf

injury on June 13. Jeter went 0-for-4 in a 6-3 loss to the Indians

at Cleveland, leaving him six shy of becoming the 28th player with

3,000 hits.

CLEVELAND (AP) - Cleveland Indians pitcher Josh Tomlin has

become the first major league hurler since 1919 to pitch at least

five innings in each of his first 29 major league appearances.

Tomlin took a no-hitter into the seventh and allowed two runs and

three hits in a 6-3 win over the New York Yankees last night. The

right-hander has gone at least six innings in 15 of his first 16

starts this season.

ST. LOUIS (AP) - St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa could

be able to pencil Albert Pujols (POO'-hohlz) into the lineup as

early as tonight. Pujols says he had no pain in his broken left

wrist after taking batting practice and fielding grounders before

the Cardinals game with Cincinnati last night. He's scheduled to be

examined this morning before the team decides whether to activate

him.

ATLANTA (AP) - Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones and

manager Fredi Gonzalez regret their sharpest criticisms of umpire

Mark Ripperger who called Jones out on two called strikes to end

Sunday's 5-4 loss to Baltimore. Jones said he shouldn't have said

work by umpires overall "is substandard." Gonzalaz says he

shouldn't have characterized the calls as "awful."

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) - Novak Djokovic (JOH'-koh-vihch)

officially became the top-ranked men's tennis player yesterday, one

day after beating Rafael Nadal for his first Wimbledon title.

Djokovic actually clinched the No. 1 ranking by winning his

semifinal match. Nadal drops down a notch to second, while Roger

Federer remains No. 3.

KWBG Sports for July 4th

NEW YORK (AP) - Major League Baseball has announced the starters

for the July 12 All-Star game, and they include four New York

Yankees and three Milwaukee Brewers. Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez,

Robinson Cano (kuh-NOH') and Curtis Granderson of the Yankees were

elected by fans in the American League. Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder

and Rickie Weeks were chosen from Milwaukee in the NL.

NEW YORK (AP) - New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes has received

good news concerning his strained left hamstring. Tests revealed

the All-Star has only a Grade 1 strain and could return later this

week. Reyes leads all National Leaguers with a .354 average, 124

hits, 15 triples and 65 runs scored, and his tied for first with 23

doubles.

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) - Novak Djokovic (JOH'-koh-vihch) is the

Wimbledon men's singles champion following a 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3

victory over defending champ Rafael Nadal. Djokovic is 48-1 this

year and has beaten Nadal five times in tournament finals. Nadal

had won 20 straight matches at the All England Club, including the

2008 and '10 titles.

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. (AP) - Nick Watney has won the AT&T National

near Philadelphia, finishing two shots ahead of K.J. Choi. Watney

closed with a 4-under-par 66 for a 13-under total in his fourth PGA

victory. Rickie Fowler finished eight shots back after opening the

final round with a share of the lead.

BLAINVILLE, Quebec (AP) - John Cook closed with a 6-under 66 to

win the Champions Tour event in Canada by three shots. Second-round

leader Chien Soon Lu of Taiwan carded a 70 and finished alone in

second place at 18-under par.

KWBG Sports for July 1st

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (guh-DEHL')

and NFLPA head DeMaurice (deh-MOHR'-ihs) Smith resumed negotiations

on a new collective bargaining agreement this morning, about six

hours after concluding a 15-hour session. The NFL lock out is in

its fourth month.

NEW YORK (AP) - The NBA is the second of the four major

professional sports leagues in the U.S. to lock out its players.

Owners took action after the collective bargaining agreement with

the players union expired at midnight Eastern time.

CLEVELAND (AP) - The NBA's Cavaliers cleared out a logjam at

power forward before the lock out began, trading J.J. Hickson to

the Sacramento Kings for forward Omri Casspi and a future

first-round pick. Hickson spent three mostly productive seasons in

Cleveland, but his days were numbered when the club drafted Texas

forward Tristan Thompson with the No. 4 overall pick last week.

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) - The two berths in the men's

championship will be filled before the day is done at Wimbledon.

Second-seeded Novak Djokovic (JOH'-kuh-vich) is facing No. 12 seed

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (SAHNG'-guh) in the first semifinal. They'll be

followed onto Centre Court by defending champion and top seed

Rafael Nadal and No. 4 seed Andy Murray.

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. (AP) - The first-round co-leaders are on the

course for round two of the AT&T National outside of Philadelphia.

Adam Scott and Hunter Haas carded 4-under-par 66s and began the day

sharing a one-shot advantage over four golfers.