DALLAS (AP) - After never coming close during his 15 years of
eligibility on the writers' ballots, former Cub great Ron Santo has
been elected to baseball's Hall of Fame by the Veteran's Committee
after receiving 15 of 16 votes. It comes just over a year after he
died. Santo was a nine-time All-Star and five-time Gold Glove
winner who belted 342 home runs and drove in 1,331 runs from
1960-74.
DALLAS (AP) - All-Star closer Heath Bell and the Miami Marlins
have finalized a $27 million, three-year contract, a day after the
team reached a preliminary agreement on a $106 million, six-year
deal with All-Star shortstop Jose Reyes (RAY'-uhs). Bell had more
than 40 saves each of the past three seasons for the San Diego
Padres.
NEW YORK (AP) - After improving to 8-0 with a pair of victories
last week, Kentucky and Ohio State are still 1-2 in the AP men's
basketball poll. Syracuse, North Carolina and Louisville move up
one spot each to round out the top 5. Harvard joins the rankings
for the first time at No. 25.
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) - Bears coach Lovie Smith says Matt Forte
(fohr-TAY') "looked pretty good" Monday and he expects the team's
top rusher to be back in the lineup before the season ends,
although he won't set a timetable for a return. Forte left
yesterday's 10-3 loss to Kansas City in the first quarter after
spraining a ligament in his right knee and didn't return to the
game.
PITTSBURGH (AP) - The Boston Bruins continued their torrid
streak, improving to 14-0-1 since October 29 by downing Pittsburgh
3-1. Tim Thomas turned back 45 shots, helped the Bruins kill off a
pair of 5-on-3 situations and blanked Pittsburgh until Matt Cooke
scored midway through the final period.
