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For the Record
Won
By Tiger Woods (above), the Deutsche Bank Championship, his fifth consecutivevictory--a streak that includes the last two majors. In a head-to-head duelwith Vijay Singh, Woods shot a 63 on Monday to win by two strokes. Woods saidhis ultimate goal is to break Byron Nelson's record of 11 straight wins, set in1945. His next PGA Tour event is the World Golf Championships, outside London,on Sept. 28; before that he'll play in the World Match Play Championship. Untilthen, his plan is to get sleep and work on his game. "You can always getbetter," Woods said on Monday. "I can hit the ball better, putt better,chip better, think better--other than that...."
Began
His major league career with a bang, Indians rookie Kevin Kouzmanoff, who hitthe first pitch he saw in the bigs for a grand slam. Hours after being calledup from Buffalo, Kouzmanoff took a pitch from Edinson Volquez over the fence inthe first inning of last Saturday's 6--5 win over Texas. He became the thirdmajor leaguer to hit a grand slam in his first at bat. "I don't evenremember running around the bases," Kouzmanoff said.
Summoned
From the stands to handle UNLV's kicking duties against Idaho State, truefreshman Ben Jaekle. When Mountain West Conference preseason special teamsplayer of the year Sergio Aguayo went down with a knee injury in the firstquarter, Rebels coach Mike Sanford put in a call to Jaekle--who was expected toredshirt this year. Said Sanford, "They got him on the phone and I told himhe needed to start coming down and get dressed and he asked 'Who's this?'"After getting into uniform, Jaekle's first field goal attempt was blocked, buthe later made a 26-yarder and three extra points.
Arrested
And charged with second-degree rape of a former girlfriend, former running backDave Meggett. The two-time Pro Bowler turned himself in to police in NorthCarolina last week after the 27-year-old woman accused him of assaulting her ather home. Meggett, 40, who was working as a parks and recreation director inMartin County, N.C., had his bond set at $200,000.
Diagnosed
With cancer, Red Sox rookie pitcher Jon Lester. The 22-year-old complained of asore back; tests revealed that the cause was anaplastic large cell lymphoma, atreatable form of non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Lester was to begin treatment thisweek. The news came at a tough time for the Red Sox; the injury-plagued teamwent 9--21 in August. "Dealing with horrible things in human life, that's awhole lot worse than losing," said pitcher Mike Timlin.
Shot
Three times by an off-duty police officer, Chargers linebacker Steve Foley(above). Early on Sunday morning the officer was following Foley's car, whichpolice say was weaving in and out of traffic at speeds approaching 90 mph.After the two cars stopped, Foley, 31, walked toward the officer, and a womanwith Foley, Lisa Maree Gaut, drove their car alongside him. The officer fired awarning shot, at which point, police say, Gaut began driving at the officer."The officer fired two rounds at the vehicle," Lt. Dennis Brugos of theSan Diego County Sheriff's Department said. "The male then came at theofficer and put his right hand by his waistband, and the officer fired athim." Foley was hit three times--in the arm, leg and chest--but his woundswere not life-threatening. Police have not said what charges Foley, who willmiss the coming season, might face; Gaut was booked on suspicion of DUI andassault with a deadly weapon.
Sued
By former Bengals tackle Matthias Askew, the city of Cincinnati. The $50million suit accuses Cincinnati police of using excessive force when theyTasered the 6'5", 302-pound lineman in July. (Askew, 24, was arrested in adispute over his illegally parked car.) After receiving the 50,000-volt shock,Askew was hospitalized with an irregular heartbeat. He was kept out of theBengals' first preseason game and was cut before the second. On Aug. 24, Askewwas acquitted of charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest stemmingfrom the parking incident.
Broken
By Carl Pavano, two of his ribs after his Porsche crashed into a garbage truck.The Yankees pitcher, who hasn't played this year due to a variety of maladies,kept his latest injury from the team for two weeks, which did not sit well withthe Yankees' brass. (The New York media, though, had a field day with it. ADaily News headline called Pavano a crash test dummy.) A frustrated G.M. BrianCashman didn't rule out attempting to void the remaining two years of Pavano'sfour-year, $39.95 million contract.
Underwent
By Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, an emergency appendectomy, whichwill keep him out of Pittsburgh's season opener. Said coach Bill Cowher,"The surgery went well." Roethlisberger has had two other operations inthe past 10 months: one on his knee, and the other to repair facial injuriessuffered in a June motorcycle crash. The Steelers did not say how much timeRoethlisberger would miss; Charlie Batch is expected to start in hisabsence.
Ended
Before it began, the latest comeback of Jeff George (left). The quarterback,who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1990 draft and last played in the NFL in2001, signed with Oakland last week when backup Andrew Walter complained of asore shoulder. George was with the Raiders for their final preseason gameagainst Seattle but didn't play. Walter did, and came through unscathed; Georgewas released. Coach Art Shell didn't rule out calling George again if the teamneeds a signal-caller. "He'll be on speed-dial," Shell said.
Died
At age 44 after a stingray barb pierced his chest, Steve Irwin, the TVpersonality and conservationist known as the Crocodile Hunter. Irwin wasfilming a segment for a series called The Ocean's Deadliest when he was stungoff the Great Barrier Reef.
Expecting
A baby in the fall, USC basketball player Brynn Cameron (above) and herex-boyfriend, Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart. Cameron, a 20-year-old juniorguard who averaged 5.5 points and 2.2 rebounds, is expected to miss theTrojans' upcoming season. Her father, Stan, told the Ventura County Star thathis daughter and Leinart still talk frequently since their breakup. Leinart hadno comment.
Go Figure
2
Overall No. 1 draft picks who have homered in their first big-league game: theBraves' Bob Horner in 1978 and the Devil Rays' Delmon Young, who went deep inhis debut on Aug. 29.
1
Major league teams that have made it back to .500 after falling 20 games belowit in a season: this year's Marlins, who started 11--31 but were 68--68 onSunday.
1
Scoring plays of more than 40 yards by Tennessee last year.
4
Scoring plays of more than 40 yards by Tennessee in last Saturday's 35--18 winover then No. 9 Cal.
2
Players in the Red Sox' lineup on Aug. 28 who were on the team's postseasonroster last year: first baseman Kevin Youkilis and shortstop Alex Cora.
BOB MATHIAS
1930-2006
SHORTLY AFTER 17-year-old Bob Mathias won the 1948Olympic decathlon in London, most of the 14,000 citizens of his hometown ofTulare, Calif., joined a spontaneous victory parade led by someone carrying asign that read BOB MATHIAS FOR PRESIDENT. That notion was no joke; Mathias, whodied last week of cancer at age 75, went on to represent the area in the Housefor four terms.
Before Tulareans sent Mathias to the Hill, they senthim to the Olympics. After he won the first decathlon he entered, at the 1948Southern Pacific AAU Games in Pasadena, the local Elks Club passed the hat andcollected $2,500 to send Mathias to the Olympic trials in New Jersey. He wonthere, too, and made it look easy in London. (While other competitors werestressing out between events, Mathias took catnaps under the stands atWembley.) Four years later he became the first Olympic decathlon champ torepeat.
In between his gold medal wins Mathias played footballat Stanford. The Redskins drafted him, but he spurned Washington for Hollywood,playing himself in 1954's The Bob Mathias Story. He finally made it to D.C--asa Republican--in 1967. "He is absolutely the greatest athlete I have everseen," Ray Dean, who coached Mathias in track at Stanford, said in 1952."He's a dream competitor--the one in 10,000 who has the temperament tomatch the talent."
CHARLIE WAGNER
1912-2006
WHEN HE was a rookie in 1939, Ted Williams told RedSox manager Joe Cronin what he was looking for in a road roommate: someone whodidn't drink or smoke and was early to bed and to rise. The criteria madeCronin's decision easy. He pointed at second-year pitcher Charlie Wagner andtold Williams, "Here's your man."
For 70 years Wagner, who died of a heart attack lastweek at age 93, was the Red Sox' resident gentleman, an easy friend to no-namerookies and cantankerous Hall of Famers alike. In six seasons--his career wasinterrupted by his Naval service in World War II--he went 32--23, and after hisretirement in 1946 he held several positions with the team, including pitchingcoach, assistant farm director and scout. "I never heard him say anythingbad about anybody," former teammate Johnny Pesky said. "It was a littleunusual for any type of ballplayer because you gripe about something. But henever griped about anything."
Wagner, who rarely stepped out without a handkerchieftucked neatly into his sport coat pocket, was known as Broadway for hisimpeccable wardrobe. But in recent years his favorite accessory was the WorldSeries ring the Red Sox gave him after they won it all in 2004. "I kepttelling everybody who called, 'Babe Ruth is dead!'" he said then. "Inever bought into the Curse, but they just kept writing about it. Now I neverhave to hear about it again."
PHOTO
STEVEN SENNE/AP (WOODS)
PHOTO
AP (MATHIAS)
SENSATIONAL After winning decathlon gold in '48, Mathias received more than 200 marriage proposals.
PHOTO
PETER BROUILLET/WIREIMAGE.COM (FOLEY)
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DARRYL DENNIS/ICON SMI (CAMERON)
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READING EAGLE/AP (WAGNER)
FENWAY FIXTURE Wagner (right, with Williams and Bob Feller) was a Sox icon.
PHOTO
ELAINE THOMPSON/AP (GEORGE)
