For the Record
Extended
By Maria Sharapova (above), her 2008 undefeated run, with a win in the Qatar Open. The Australian Open champ, who was shut out in the Grand Slam events last year, beat fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva in three sets to win $414,000—and a motorcycle—and run her streak to 14 matches. "I played five matches in five days, and that is not an easy thing to do," Sharapova said. "I think what I have done is just great."
Drafted
By members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, a letter to the Justice Department asking prosecutors to begin a criminal investigation into whether Roger Clemens committed perjury at a hearing last month, according to The New York Times. The former pitcher testified on Feb. 13 that he had never taken steroids or HGH. His former trainer, Brian McNamee, testified that he repeatedly injected Clemens with performance-enhancing drugs, and he supplied the committee with syringes and other evidence he says support his claims. According to the Times, three lawyers close to the case said it was possible that the committee could also suggest that McNamee be investigated.
Reunited
After a schism that lasted 12 years, North America's two open-wheel racing leagues. Last week Tony George, who formed the breakaway Indy Racing League in 1996, announced an agreement with the owners of Champ Car to shut down the series formerly known as CART. George offered Champ Car teams free race cars and $1.2 million in incentives to make the jump; several are expected to compete in this year's IRL season, which begins on March 29.
Won
His 3-year-old debut, War Pass (left), the 2007 Eclipse Award winner for top 2-year-old male. Trained by Nick Zito, War Pass breezed to a 712-length win at Gulfstream Park to remain undefeated in five career races and establish himself as an early Kentucky Derby favorite. "He broke like a rocket," said Zito. "It would have been nice if he sat back, but as long as he keeps winning, I'm happy. He's a special horse."
Died
At age 89, Bob Howsam, who in a six-decade career as a sports executive founded the Denver Broncos and built the Cincinnati Reds into the Big Red Machine. With his family, Howsam bought the Denver Bears, a minor league baseball team, in 1948. He built a stadium for the team atop a garbage dump; it was eventually expanded into Mile High Stadium after Howsam founded the Broncos, an original AFL franchise, in 1959. He sold the team in 1961 and turned his attention to baseball. After a stint as the Cardinals' G.M., he took the same position with the Reds in 1967, assembling the roster that would dominate the National League in the 1970s.
Died
At age 85, Grits Gresham (left), an outdoorsman, conservationist, writer and TV producer who found fame as a beer pitchman. Claude H. Gresham wrote about fishing and hunting for several publications, including SI, and hosted and produced ABC's The American Sportsman. But he may be best remembered as a fisherman recounting the story of the whopper that got away in a 1970s Miller Lite ad.
Died
At age 17 after collapsing during a playoff game on Feb. 18, Shannon Veal, one of the most sought-after high school basketball players in Louisiana. With coaches from LSU in attendance, the junior guard calmly sank two free throws for Glen Oaks High, then signaled that she needed a breather and collapsed. The cause of death was hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a genetic heart defect (SI, Dec. 10, 2007). "She was everything you want in a point guard," Glen Oaks coach Harold Boudreaux said. "She could read the court and control the game. But she was also everything you want in a young lady."
They Said It
MIKE GILLESPIE
UC Irvine baseball coach, on complaints that the school's anteater mascot isn't ferocious enough:
"If you're an ant, then an anteater is ferocious."
SIGN OF THE APOCALYPSE
Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia was excused from practice to rush home to his wife, who said she had seen a ghost.
PHOTO
COURTESY OF UC IRVINE ATHLETICS (ANTEATER)
PHOTO
ADAM COGLIANESE/GULFSTREAM PARK/AP (WAR PASS)
PHOTO
COURTESY OF LOUISIANA SPORTS HALL OF FAME (GRESHAM)
PHOTO
FADI AL-ASSAAD/REUTERS (SHARAPOVA)