■ FOOTBALL
Dolphins sign McKinney
The Miami Dolphins continued to strengthen their offensive line by signing 10-year league veteran Steve McKinney as a free agent on Monday. Financial terms were not disclosed by the team on their official Web site. “It’s a good fit for me,” McKinney, 32, was quoted as saying by the Miami Herald. “I like the organization. I like the coaches. I like the guys they brought in and I feel like it’s a place where I’m going to have a real chance to play.” Last month, Miami signed Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long, the number one selection in the NFL draft, to a five-year, US$57 million contract.
■ TENNIS
Edberg to play Sampras
Sweden’s former men’s world No. 1 Stefan Edberg, who has not played competitive tennis since he retired 12 years ago, could be set to face old rival Pete Sampras after agreeing to play two events on the Tour of Champions. The 42-year-old six-time Grand Slam winner will play in the Trophee Jean-Luc Lagardere in Paris in September and at London’s Royal Albert Hall in London in December. Sampras, who like Edberg has committed himself to playing two of the tour events this year, is delighted at the prospect of playing the Swede again after a hiatus of 13 years. “It’s great to hear that Stefan is going to be playing because he’s a great guy and a great player,” Sampras said.
■ GOLF
Woods plans two-day clinic
Tiger Woods is not sure if he will play before the US Open, but the world golf No. 1, who is recovering from left knee surgery, is already making plans next month for after the event. Woods will play at the Buick Open from June 26-29 and conduct a clinic two days before the opening round at the home ballpark for Major League Baseball’s Detroit Tigers, tournament officials announced on Monday. While the team is not named for the 13-time major champion, the Tigers’ stadium provides a perfect backdrop for his first ballpark clinic, with tiger heads along the walls and giant concrete tigers at entry points.
■ ICE HOCKEY
Classic battle set for 2010
Russia’s dethroning of Canada to become hockey World Champions has not only revived a classic rivalry but helped set the stage for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. After a 5-4 overtime loss to Russia in the championship game, Canada can be thankful there is no home-team curse when it comes to the Winter Games. The last time a country won the worlds on home ice was the former Soviet Union’s victory in 1986 in Moscow. And the Big Red Machine was back on Sunday in Quebec City showing the world that they can play as a team and not just as a group of individual stars.
■ ICE SKATING
Yamaguchi skates perfectly
Kristi Yamaguchi could not have done any better at the Dancing With the Stars finals on Monday. The figure-skating champ earned a perfect score of 60 for her two dances on Monday, putting her far ahead of fellow finalists Cristian de la Fuente, who scored 52, and Jason Taylor, who finished with 51, in the television dance competition. Each performed a freestyle routine, and the three finalists shared the floor for a group dance dubbed “the cha-cha face-off.” Yamaguchi came out on top both times. “It’s ladies’ night. You won that hands down,” judge Carrie Ann Inaba told the Olympian after the group dance. Her perfect score easily bested de la Fuente’s 26 points and Taylor’s 24.
Taiwan kept their hopes of advancing to next year’s World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Saturday, backed by solid pitching. Taiwan last night played against Nicaragua. As of press time, Nicaragua was leading 6-0. Bouncing back from Friday’s struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan on Saturday kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen struck out one and allowed no hits, except for a hit-by-pitch over
Team Taiwan are set to face Spain in a win-or-go-home match tonight for the final berth at the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), despite losing to Nicaragua 6-0 in the WBC qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Sunday. The home team’s loss on Sunday means Nicaragua finish first in the qualifier round in Taipei with a perfect 3-0 record and advances to next year’s finals. After crushing South Africa 9-1 earlier on Sunday, Spain took second place in the four-team qualifier with a 2-1 record. With a 1-2 record, Taiwan finished third while South Africa placed at the bottom with
Team Taiwan avoided missing the World Baseball Classic (WBC) for the first time by defeating Spain 6-3 in a do-or-die game in Taipei last night. After narrowly escaping a mercy-rule loss to Spain in the WBC Qualifiers opener on Friday last week, the home team — winner of last year's WBSC Premier12 title three months ago — got their revenge against the 2023 European champions at Taipei Dome. "It felt quite different from when we won the Premier12," Taiwan captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) said after the game, recalling the ups and downs the team has experienced over the past few days. Unlike in
Team Taiwan are set to face Spain in a win-or-go-home match tomorrow for the final berth at next year's World Baseball Classic (WBC), despite losing to Nicaragua 6-0 in the WBC qualifier at the Taipei Dome yesterday. The home team's loss means that Nicaragua finishes No. 1 in the qualifier round held in Taipei with a perfect 3-0 record and advances to the games. After crushing South Africa 9-1 earlier yesterday, Spain took second place in the four-team qualifier with a 2-1 record. With a 1-2 record, Taiwan, competing under the name Chinese Taipei, finished third, while South Africa placed at the bottom
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