Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.sports From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: sports Wed, Aug 19 1992 Date: Wed, 19 Aug 92 04:20:00 EDT Message-ID: 08-19 0000 DECISIONLINE: Sports USA TODAY Update Aug. 19, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network BIRD ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT: Larry Bird, who helped revive the fortunes of the National Basketball Association and sparked the Boston Celtics to three championships, retired Tuesday after 13 seasons. Bird, 35, was forced out by a back injury that has hampered him the last two years. "It's time to get on with the rest of my life," Bird said. He was limited to 45 games in 1991-92 after lower back surgery. BIRD WILL STAY WITH CELTICS: Larry Bird shed no tears but seemed to choke up at times in his retirement news conference Tuesday. Dave Gavitt, club vice president, said the Celtics legend will stay with the team in an administrative capacity. Bird, from French Lick, Ind., entered the pros in 1979 and was the league's MVP three times. Tuesday, Bird doused any speculation about a comeback after one year off. BRAVES WIN 14TH OF LAST 17: Charlie Leibrandt pitched a four-hitter as the Atlanta Braves beat the Montreal Expos 5-1 Tuesday night for their 14th win in their last 17 games. In other National League games: Cincinnati 6, Philadelphia 0, 1st game; Philadelphia 6, Cincinnati 1, 2nd game; Pittsburgh 5, San Diego 1; Houston 7, St. Louis 6; Chicago 4, San Francisco 1; Los Angeles 4, New York 0. MCDOWELL WINS 16TH GAME: Chicago's Jack McDowell became the second 16-game winner in the American League Tuesday night, as the White Sox shut out Kevin Brown - the other 16-game winner - and the Texas Rangers 3-0. In other American League games: Cleveland 8, Minnesota 1; Chicago 3, Texas 0; Toronto 12, Milwaukee 1; Boston 8, California 0; Seattle 8, Baltimore 3; New York 7, Oakland 3; Detroit 5, Kansas City 1. HOWE SENTENCED, FINED: Former baseball pitcher Steve Howe Tuesday was sentenced to three years probation and fined $1,000 for trying to buy a gram of cocaine Dec. 19. U.S. Magistrate Bart Erickson, in Missoula, Mont., also ordered Howe to perform 100 hours of community service and enter and pay for a drug abuse program. Howe, 34, pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge on June 8. NICKLAUS DECLINES SKINS GAME: Jack Nicklaus won't be part of The Skins Game for the first time in its 10-year history this November. Tuesday, he declined an invitation to play in the two-day, 18-hole event Nov. 28-29 at BIGHORN in Palm Desert, Calif. Tom Kite said Tuesday he'll join defending champion Payne Stewart and probably Fred Couples in The Skins Game. Now the fourth spot is open. BRONCOS CUT QB PELLUER: Veteran backup quarterback Steve Pelluer was among five players cut Tuesday by the Denver Broncos. Acquired as a Plan B free agent last spring, Pelluer signed a two-year contract worth $1.2 million. The race to be John Elway's backup is now a two-man sprint between Shawn Moore and rookie Tommy Maddox, the Broncos' No. 1 draft pick from UCLA. SEMINOLES CAUSE MISMATCHES: Pundits predict major mismatches now that Florida State is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They envision coach Bobby Bowden's Seminoles running roughshod over the opposition. FSU is 53-8 the past five seasons, finishing 2-3-3-4-4 in the final USA TODAY:CNN Top 25 Coaches' Poll. The Seminoles were 11-2 last season. ACC opponent Clemson hosts FSU Sept. 12. MARSHALL IS I-AA FAVORITE: Marshall University is the preseason favorite of coaches and media to win the Division I-AA title. But third-year coach Jim Donnan is focused on winning the Southern Conference title. Marshall reached the national championship game last year, but Appalachian State won the league title. Marshall, host of the national title Dec. 19, opens at home Sept. 5 with Morehead State. JR. OLYMPIC SERIES BEGINS: The Junior Olympic Baseball Super Series begins Friday at Beaumont, Texas. The round-robin event involves the champions of PAL, the Colt League of Pony Baseball, Dixie Baseball, American Amateur Baseball Congress and Mickey Mantle Division of the National Amateur Baseball Federation and a Beaumont all-star team. `TIGER' WOODS WINS CLASSIC: Eldrick "Tiger" Woods Tuesday won his second Insurance Youth Golf Classic at Pinehurst (N.C.) Country Club with an 8-under 280. Earlier this month, Woods, 16, won his second consecutive U.S. Junior title. 49ERS AMONG NFL MONEY-LOSERS: Six NFL teams lost money in the 1990 season, including Super Bowl-winner San Francisco, according to financial documents released at the free-agency trial in Minneapolis. The others: Washington, New England, Cleveland, Seattle and Atlanta. Eight players are suing the league, claiming it's restrictions on movement lowers their earning power. UNSER JR. CAUGHT SPEEDING: If Al Unser Jr. hasn't already mailed his $53 fine, he's due in Huron (Ohio) Municipal Court Wednesday. Unser was ticketed for driving 71 mph in a 55-mph zone while racing to the Aug. 9 Cleveland Grand Prix. MCENROE MAKES COMPLAINT: John McEnroe wants to play Davis Cup again, but says waiting for U.S. captain Tom Gorman to name his doubles team against Sweden is frustrating. The U.S. Tennis Association said it will look into McEnroe's complaint Wednesday. PHAR-MOR DUMPS EVERT: Chris Evert got a letter Tuesday from the Phar-Mor drugstore chain saying it won't honor its contract to be title sponsor of her celebrity tennis exhibition. It will go on as planned Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at Boca Raton, Fla. The Colorado Rockies report an audited clean bill of financial health; Mickey Monus, the Phar-Mor executive accused of embezzling $350 million, was a general partner. CARDINALS, SUNS PITCH IN: The NFL Phoenix Cardinals, NBA Phoenix Suns and other Arizona companies combined Tuesday to offer a $50 million loan to America West. The airline is under U.S. Bankruptcy Court Chapter 11 protection. 24-HOUR TELEPHONE INFORMATION: USA TODAY Sports Hot Line. 95 cents a minute. 1-900-555-5555. Sports Editor: Kate Coughlin. (919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM