For the Record
Endured
By the Red Sox,the Yankees and their fans, the longest nine-inning game in major leaguehistory. The second game of last Friday's day-night doubleheader started at8:07. The final out, a groundout by Boston's Wily Mo Peña, came at 12:52--fourhours and 45 minutes later. The game, won 14--11 by New York, featured 10pitching changes and 437 pitches and followed a first game that lasted threehours and 55 minutes. "We kept looking up, and it kept being the fourthinning," said Yankees manager Joe Torre. "It was nuts." There wasno rest for the weary. The two teams played again at 1:20 on Saturdayafternoon.
Won
The first fight inhis latest comeback, Evander Holyfield. The former heavyweight champ, 43, whohad lost his last three bouts, stopped 32-year-old insurance salesman JeremyBates at 2:56 of Round 2 on a TKO. "Them last three fights, I fought withone shoulder," Holyfield said. "I was hurt. My back was hurting. I hadcramps." Holyfield is expected to fight contender Sinan Samil Sam next; awin could get him a title shot in 2007.
Failed
By Marion Jones, adrug test administered the same day she won the 100 meters at the U.S. trackand field championships. The 30-year-old sprinter--who denied the allegationsof BALCO founder Victor Conte that she has used performance-enhancingsubstances--had never failed a test until traces of EPO were found in the urinesample taken from her on June 23. Her coach, Steve Riddick, told Reuters thatJones was innocent, noting that EPO is an easily detected drug normallyassociated with endurance sports. "It don't make no sense unless she wantedto commit public suicide," Riddick said. If Jones's B sample also turns uppositive, she faces a two-year ban.
Rejected
By a federaljudge, a request by prosecutors to send Greg Anderson--Barry Bonds's formerpersonal trainer--to jail for contempt. Anderson has repeatedly refused toanswer questions from a grand jury investigating BALCO and spent 15 days inprison in July for his failure to testify. Last week Anderson appeared in frontof the grand jury for the fifth time and would only answer questions such ashis name. He was asked point-blank if he provided Bonds with steroids but didnot respond. "This was a more cynical appearance than any before,"assistant U.S. attorney Matthew Parrella said. But U.S. District Judge WilliamAlsup said he would need to review transcripts and hear arguments beforedeciding if he would hold Anderson in contempt.
Arrested
By Secret Serviceagents after a gun was fired near the White House, former NBA forward LonnyBaxter. Early on Aug. 16 a pedestrian flagged down Secret Service agents andinformed them that two shots were fired from a white SUV a few blocks from theWhite House. Agents pulled over Baxter, and when they searched his car, theyfound a .40-caliber handgun they said had recently been fired. Baxter, 27, whoplayed last year with the Rockets and the Bobcats, was ordered held withoutbail. Baxter (left), who faces up to seven years in jail, was to appear incourt on Wednesday.
Arrested
On two counts ofDUI, Vikings receiver Koren Robinson. The 26-year-old Pro Bowler, who spent 28days in an alcohol-treatment facility last year, was pulled over for allegedlygoing more than 100 mph in a 55-mph zone on Aug. 15. He was stopped at 10:45p.m.--apparently rushing back to camp to make an 11:00 curfew. Vikings coachBrad Childress, who was hired in January in the wake of the team's party-boatscandal, has not said if Robinson will remain with the team. "I am tryingto create a culture of accountability," Childress said. "It doesn'tmatter who it is. You can't drive when you've been drinking."
Plunked
By slugger turnedknuckleballer Jose Canseco (right), four Reno Silver Fox hitters. Canseco, 42,made his first start for the Long Beach Armada of the independent GoldenBaseball League on Aug. 16. In addition to hitting four batters, he walked fiveand gave up a homer in 4 1/3 innings. (Long Beach lost 8--2.) Said Canseco,"I take it serious out there when I'm in the game. I try to do the bestpossible. I'd love to throw a shutout or no-hitter or whatever. I'm acompetitor."
Died
At age 72, GradyWallace, a former All-America basketball player who led the nation in scoringin 1957. Playing for South Carolina, Wallace averaged 31.2 points per game inbeating out Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor for the scoring title."Averaging 31 points and 14 rebounds against the Sisters of Charity ispretty good," former teammate Bud Cronin told The State of Columbia, S.C."Against ACC teams, that's remarkable."
Died
At age 90 ofcomplications from a stroke, Al Hostak, who won the world middleweight title in1938 in what was, at the time, the biggest sporting event ever held in Seattle.Fighting in his hometown, Hostak floored champ Freddie Steele of Tacoma fourtimes in the first round before the referee, former heavyweight champ JackDempsey, counted him out. (A sellout crowd of 35,000--including Bob Hope andJack Benny--was on hand, and stick-wielding National Guardsmen were needed tokeep crashers at bay.) Dempsey later said he was glad the fight lasted only oneround because he was afraid Steele was going to be hurt by Hostak, whom Dempseycalled "the fastest puncher I have ever seen."
Cashed In
On a 12-year-oldbet that netted them more than $18,000, several family members and friends ofEnglish goalkeeper Chris Kirkland. In 1994, to motivate the then 13-year-oldKirkland, his parents and seven others bet a total of $185 at 100-to-1 oddsthat he would play for England before he was 30. The 25-year-old Kirkland madehis debut on Aug. 16, playing the second half of England's 4--0 win over Greece(above). "It's been a long time waiting, and we hope for many more[appearances]," said Eddie Kirkland, the keeper's father. "It has beenworth waiting for."
Go Figure
4 Leadoff home runs in the first two innings of lastThursday's Royals--White Sox game.
9 Consecutive races in which King Palm, a 5-year-oldcolt owned by the Maloof bothers (who also own the Sacramento Kings), hasfinished second.
51 Marathons run in 50 days--one in each state, plusthe District of Columbia--by Sam Thompson, 25, of Vicksburg, Miss., who wasrunning to raise awareness for Hurricane Katrina victims.
19 Shoe size of 13-year-old Aaron Durley (center) ofthe Saudi Arabia team in the Little League World Series; the first baseman is6'8" and 256 pounds.
Frost Heaves Watch
SI senior writer Alexander Wolff is filing periodicupdates on the expansion ABA team that he owns, the Vermont Frost Heaves
WINGS OVER Vermont! At long last the Heaves have signedsome players--and most are defenders and three-point shooters. Unemployed pointguards out there: You up to playing with this group of guys?
MARKUS AUSTIN, 6'6", Guard-Forward, EasternMichigan
Former captain (right) of Eagles is 11th on school'salltime scoring list.
TRAVARUS BENNETT, 6'7", Guard-Forward, Minnesota(also played in Ireland, Germany and Switzerland).
Big Ten defender of year (right) and 47% from three in'01--02.
ANTONIO BURKS, 6'5", Forward, Stephen F. Austin(Norway)
Career 43% three-point shooter for SouthlandConference's L-jacks.
KEVIN HARRINGTON, 6'4", Guard-Forward, SouthCarolina Upstate
Schwab's Drug Store story: Assistant coach Wayne Lafleydiscovered him parking cars at an AAU tournament in Atlanta.
TYRONE LEVETT, 6'5", Guard-Forward, Alabama State(Ireland, Austria)
One coach likens this hard-nosed swingman with a"workingman's swagger" to Joe Frazier.
KEVIN MICKENS, 6'8", Forward, George Mason(Portugal, Uruguay)
Long, lively and only 23, so upside to go with hisups.
B.J. ROBERTSON, 6'2", guard, St. Michael's(Vt.)
Local hero, former Vermont high school Mr. Basketball,loves open floor.
New Twist
A radical scoring system stole the spotlight at thegymnastics nationals
What happens when a 10 is no longer perfect?Competitors and coaches at the U.S. national gymnastics championships ponderedthat last weekend in St. Paul, as they came to grips with a new scoring system."We're making a lot of changes to adjust our routines," said NastiaLiukin, who defended the all-around title she won last year under the oldsystem. "We need to figure out what works now."
The updated code was designed to give greater reward tochallenging routines. One set of judges now grades execution, with a max scoreof 10. A second set grades for difficulty based on the 10 toughest elements ina routine. Those marks have no ceiling, and the scores seen in St. Paul--Liukinreceived the highest, a 16.400 on the uneven bars--will be eclipsed over timeas routines become more complicated.
But there are kinks in a system that will face morescrutiny at the World Championships in October in √Örhus, Denmark, andultimately the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Some feel it does not properlyrecognize the artistry of stylists such as Liukin. And the range of marks varysignificantly by apparatus. Scores in the men's competition, won by AlexanderArtemev (right), were much higher on the rings and vault than on the pommelhorse, for instance.
"It is not perfect," says U.S. women's teamcoordinator Marta Kàrolyi, "but you must master the code tosucceed."
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WINSLOW TOWNSON/AP
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CAROLYN KASTER/AP
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ALEXIS FORTNER
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TOM OLMSCHEID/ AP
ILLUSTRATION
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GREG NELSON
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NEWS INTERNATIONAL/WIREIMAGE.COM
JEFF LEWIS/US PRESSWIRE
TWO PHOTOS
PETER READ MILLER
FLOORED Liukin (left) was top in the uneven bars and on the beam.