MLB:
The baseball Hall of Fame will be adding six players during its July 29 induction ceremony at Cooperstown, New York.
Third baseman Chipper Jones and first baseman Jim Thome have been elected in their first year of eligibility. Jones was named on 97.2 percent of the ballots after hitting .303 with 468 home runs and 1,623 RBIs in a 19-season career that included 11 straight playoff appearances. Thome was selected by 89.8 percent of voters following a 22-year career that included 612 home runs, 1,699 RBIs and a .554 slugging average.
Outfielder Vladimir Guerrero was elected in his second try, getting 92.9 percent. The nine-time All-Star played half his career with the Montreal Expos and batted .318 with 449 homers and 1,496 RBIs.
Closer Trevor Hoffman received the required number of votes in his third year on the ballot, getting 79.9 percent. He retired with 601 saves, a major league record that was eclipsed by Mariano Rivera.
Mariners designated hitter Edgar Martinez fell 20 votes shy with 70.4 percent, while pitcher Mike Mussina climbed to 63.5 percent.
Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds also came up short in the balloting, although each saw a slight increase.
The four newly-elected players will be joined by pitcher Jack Morris and shortstop Alan Trammell, who were selected by a committee that considers older players and executives.
Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Glen Perkins has confirmed his expected retirement, ending a 12-year major league career with 120 saves. Perkins became a three-time All-Star closer for his home-state team before injuries hit him hard. The 34-year-old finished with a 3.88 ERA in 624 1/3 career innings.
In other baseball news:
— Tigers general manager Al Avila says right-hander Michael Fulmer and designated hitter Victor Martinez are expected to be at full strength at spring training. Fulmer had elbow surgery in September, around the same time Martinez underwent a surgical procedure to correct an irregular heartbeat.
— The Royals have signed former Blue Jays infielder Ryan Goins to a minor league contract that includes an invitation to big league spring training. The 29-year-old Goins was non-tendered by the Blue Jays after hitting .237 with a .286 on-base percentage last season.
NBA:
The Boston Celtics ended their season-worst four-game losing streak as Kyrie Irving furnished 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in a 113-102 victory over the Clippers in Los Angeles. Jayson Tatum finished with 18 points for the Celtics, who hit 14 3-pointers and outrebounded the Clippers 47-40. Blake Griffin had 23 points in the Clippers' third consecutive loss, while Lou Williams added 20 points.
The Houston Rockets earned their fourth straight win and seventh in their last nine games by hitting 21 3-pointers in a 104-97 victory at Dallas. James Harden shot 6-for-10 from beyond the arc in scoring a team-high 25 points. Eric Gordon added four treys and 17 points, while Chris Paul added three long-range baskets to go with 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
Warriors forward Kevin Durant is apologizing to referee James Williams for behaving like a "jerk." He also used an expletive to describe how he acted during a victory against the Knicks on Tuesday night, when the NBA Finals MVP was ejected late for a second technical. Durant says he is prepared for whatever fine he receives. He also plans to say sorry in person the next time he sees Williams and vowed to handle himself more respectfully next time. Durant says he watched the plays that earned him the technical and noted that he behaved inappropriately.
Elsewhere in the NBA:
— The NBA says it wants a cut of the profits from legalized sports betting if it expands into states like New Jersey and New York. A league executive told New York state lawmakers Wednesday that athletic leagues provide the basis for sports gambling and deserve to receive one percent of the total amount bet on their games. State legislators around the U.S. are looking at sports wagering after New Jersey challenged a federal law banning it in all but four states.
NHL:
The Chicago Blackhawks are six points out of an NHL playoff berth following their fourth consecutive loss. William Nylander scored on a penalty shot just six seconds into overtime as the Maple Leafs sent the Hawks to their fourth straight loss, 3-2. Nazem Kadri and Mitch Marner also scored to help the Maple Leafs win for the second time in seven games.
The NHL has suspended Boston forward Brad Marchand five games without pay for elbowing New Jersey's Marcus Johansson in the head during the Bruins' win over the Devils on Tuesday night. The hit occurred with 1:59 left in the third period of Boston's 3-2 win and knocked Johansson out of the game. There was no penalty called on the play. In announcing the suspension, the league's department of player safety ruled Marchand's hit was not defensive or accidental.
NFL:
Al Michaels has a similar level of anticipation heading into his 10th Super Bowl broadcast as he had the first time he worked the biggest stage on television 30 years ago. Michaels is set to join Pat Summerall as the only play-by-play announcers to call at least 10 Super Bowls when he works next weekend's game in Minneapolis between New England and Philadelphia.
The New York Jets have fired offensive line coach Steve Marshall after three seasons. The move comes a week after coach Todd Bowles parted ways with offensive coordinator John Morton.
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue says he and Buffalo Bills guard Richie Incognito cleared the air after Ngakoue accused Incognito of using "weak racist slurs" during a playoff game earlier this month. Ngakoue says the Pro Bowl teammates talked it out and are good to go. Ngakoue declined to get into specifics. He wants to move on. Incognito rushed off the field following the AFC's squad's practice and declined interview requests.
The NFL and the Players Association say the Carolina Panthers correctly followed concussion protocol guidelines when handling Cam Newton's injury during a first-round playoff loss to the Saints. After walking off the field with a second-half eye injury, the quarterback stumbled to the ground. The league has determined that stumble was caused by a previous knee injury. The NFL said Newton had an MRI on Jan. 8 that "confirmed ligament and cartilage damage and very extensive swelling in the knee."
NCAA:
Trae Bell-Haynes scored 21 points with five rebounds and five assists and Vermont extended its win streak to 10 with a 61-50 victory over UAlbany. Payton Henson, Drew Urquhart and Everett Duncan added 10 points apiece for the Catamounts (17-5, 7-0 America East Conference). Duncan led the team with 11 rebounds.
Five Syracuse players scored in double figures and the Orange rode an 11-0 run early in the second half to defeat Boston College 81-63. Tyus Battle led Syracuse with 24 points.
Trevon Blueitt reached the 2,000-point mark for his career by scoring 13 in eighth-ranked Xavier's 89-70 romp over Marquette. Quentin Goodin scored 13 of his team-high 15 points during a first half in which the Musketeers went ahead by 20. Xavier is 19-3 overall and 7-2 in the Big East after beating the Golden Eagles for the eighth time in their last 10 meetings.
Jahad Thomas matched his career high with 30 points and Matt Harris had two critical 3-pointers to lead UMass Lowell to an 82-79 overtime win over Stony Brook. Harris hit a 3-pointer from the left corner with 24.9 seconds left in regulation to force overtime and his fourth trey 1½ minutes into the extra session made it a two possession game.
Aaron Calixte scored 24 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 21 seconds left, and Maine upended New Hampshire 69-68. After a timeout with 15 seconds left, the Wildcats' Darryl Stewart missed a 3-point attempt and Isaiah White secured the ball _ and the win _ for his career-high 13th rebound of the game.
Andre Berry scored 20 points on 9-of-12 shooting, Jared Terrell had 17 points and six assists, and No. 24 Rhode Island cruised past Fordham 78-58 at historic Rose Hill Gym. Stan Robinson added 16 points, seven steals and six rebounds for the newly ranked Rams, who moved into the AP Top 25 this week.
Ninth-ranked Cincinnati extended the nation's longest active home winning streak to 37 games as Gary Clark contributed 17 points and 10 rebounds in a 75-42 pounding of Temple. Jarron Cumberland scored 11 of his 13 points in the first half as the 17-2 Bearcats won their 11th in a row overall. Jared Harper dropped in 21 points and No. 19 Auburn put together a 20-2 spurt early in the second half to pull away from Missouri in a 91-73 victory.
In women's college basketball, UAlbany topped Vermont 67-55,
Tennis:
Serena Williams plans to return to tournament play in the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. The two-time champion gave birth in September and will have spent 14 months away from the WTA Tour when she competes in the March 5-18 event at Indian Wells. Williams was among the entries released Wednesday by tournament officials.
It will be top-ranked Simona Halep against second seed Caroline Wozniaki in the Australian Open women's final as both players seek their first Grand Slam title. Halep was able to advance with a 6-3, 4-6, 9-7 win against Angelique Kerber. Halep was up 5-3 and 7-6 in the third set before surviving another marathon match. She stayed in the tournament by pulling out a 15-13 third set against Lauren Davies in the third round. Halep is in her first hard-court Grand Slam final after reaching the French Open final both last year and in 2014. Wozniacki has advanced to the final at Melbourne for the first time by downing Elise Mertens 6-3, 7-6. The second-seeded Wozniacki double-faulted twice while serving for the match at 5-4, allowing Mertens to break serve. The Danish player later fought off two set points before closing out the tiebreak to reach her third Grand Slam final.
Olympics:
Michigan State President Lou Anna Simon has submitted her resignation amid outcry over the school's handling of allegations against Larry Nassar, a former doctor for the university and USA Gymnastics. Simon's decision was announced hours after Nassar was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison for molesting women and girls under the guise of medical treatment. The sentence followed a weeklong hearing in which more than 150 women and girls offered statements of abuse by him. Nassar admitted molesting some of the nation's top gymnasts for years. Judge Rosemarie Aquilina said it was her honor and privilege to sentence Nassar, telling him, "I just signed your death warrant." Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last week accepted Michigan State's request to investigate how the school handled complaints about Nassar when he worked there. The NCAA is also looking into it. The CEO of the U.S. Olympic Committee has announced an independent investigation to determine how the sexual abuse attributed to Nassar could have gone on as long as it did.
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