Wrestling regains spot in Olympics
After a seven-month exile, wrestling reclaimed its place on the Olympic stage Sunday, beating squash and a combined bid by baseball and softball for the lone remaining spot on the program for the 2020 and 2024 Summer Games.
Persuaded that the ancient sport is committed to remaking itself to appeal to a more diverse, contemporary audience, a majority of International Olympic Committee delegates favored wrestling’s addition in first-round balloting held in Buenos Aires.
Wrestling drew 49 votes; baseball-softball, 24; and squash, 22, after representatives of each made one final, 20-minute sales pitch about how their sport could strengthen the 21st century Olympic brand.
Wrestling officials jumped with joy, and at least one shed tears when President Jacques Rogge announced that the sport had been selected, according to Nenad Lalovic, president of the sport’s international governing body, which is known by the acronym FILA.
Bangor Municipal Golf Course earns Audubon award
The Bangor Municipal Golf Course has been honored as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary through the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary for golf courses.
It is the second golf course in Maine and 1,015th in the world to receive the distinction.
“The Bangor Municipal Golf Course has shown a strong commitment to its environmental program. They are to be commended for their efforts to provide a sanctuary for wildlife on the golf course property,” said Joellen Lampman the associate director of the environmental program. “To reach certification, a course must demonstrate that they are maintaining a high degree of environmental quality in a number of areas.”
Those categories include environmental planning, wildlife and habitat management, outreach and education, chemical use reduction and safety, water conservation and water quality management.
Rob Jarvis, the assistant pro at Bangor Muni, said “We are proud to have achieved this certification. The City of Bangor is committed to being a great steward of the environment and the golf course is proud to help with that mission. The golf staff prides itself on creating a high quality playing experience for our golfers and, at the same time, we recognize our responsibility to our environment, wildlife and residential neighbors.”
Red Sox pitcher Buchholz to return Tuesday
Boston Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz, who has not pitched in a major-league game since June 8 because of a shoulder injury, is scheduled to start Tuesday night’s game against Tampa Bay, the Boston Herald reported Sunday.
Buchholz threw a bullpen session on Sunday as his final tuneup for his first start for the Red Sox in more than three months.
Buchholz was outstanding before being sidelined with the injury. He opened the season 9-0 with a 1.71 ERA.
“Mentally I’m ready,” Buchholz said after Sunday’s bullpen session. “I think that’s what everyone was questioning — mental toughness and everything. But I know my body better than everybody else does. I’m comfortable pitching now. There’s nothing wrong that’s come up.”
Masters green jacket nets nearly $700,000 in auction
A green jacket owned by the winner of the nation’s first Masters Tournament in 1934 has sold at auction for nearly $700,000, the auction company said on Monday.
The jacket, awarded to Golf Hall of Famer Horton Smith some 13 years after he won the first Masters in 1934, was sold by New Jersey-based Green Jacket Auctions to an undisclosed bidder for $682,229.45 in an online auction on Sunday.
It was the highest price ever for a piece of golf memorabilia, according to Green Jacket Auctions.
Awarded every year since 1949, the green jacket has become a symbol of one of the most prestigious golf tournaments in the world, which began in Georgia as the Augusta National Invitational Tournament.
Smith’s two-button, single-breasted green jacket, size 43 long, was coveted by collectors for decades and was thought to be lost — until a family member who had the jacket realized its value and called Green Jacket in July to report that it had been with family since Smith’s death in 1963.
Smith, who won the tournament in both 1934 and 1936, played in every Masters Tournament until the year he died at age 55.
KISS offers Tebow three-year deal
The Los Angeles KISS, a new Arena Football League team co-owned by the legendary rock band, offered quarterback Tim Tebow a three-year contract, the team announced Monday.
Tebow, a former Heisman Trophy winner, was cut by the New England Patriots on Aug. 31.
Tebow is the first player co-owners Brett Bouchy, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and Doc McGhee have approached. The team begins its inaugural Arena League season in March 2014. It will play its home games at the Honda Center in Anaheim.
“Tim Tebow is one of the most recognized and respected athletes in sport,” Stanley said in a press release. “His joining us would mean great things for his fans and for our team, especially from a business standpoint. His credibility within the sports arena is paramount and with our commitment to bringing football without compromise back to LA, we’re excited to see how this offer turns out.”
If Tebow accepts, the contract pends approval from the league’s board of directors and players’ union.
UConn suspends starting center Olander
Connecticut suspended starting center Tyler Olander indefinitely, the school announced on Monday.
According to the Hartford Courant, Olander was charged late Saturday night with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drugs, operating (or towing) an unregistered motor vehicle and operating a motor vehicle in violation of classification.
The newspaper also reported Olander failed field sobriety tests, and that this is the second time he has been arrested this year. He was arrested for failing to leave private property in Panama City, Fla., in March during spring break.
Olander, a 6-foot-11 senior who was a captain of the team, started 26 games for the Huskies last year and averaged 4.3 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.
Nets to retire Jason Kidd’s jersey
The Brooklyn Nets announced Monday that they will retire Jason Kidd’s No. 5 jersey before their Oct. 17 preseason game against the Miami Heat.
Kidd, entering his first year as the Nets coach, averaged 15 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in six seasons with the team, including leading it to the NBA Finals in consecutive seasons (2002 and ’03). He was also a four-time All-Star and received MVP votes in that span.
He played for the Dallas Mavericks (1994-97, 2007-12), Phoenix Suns (1997-01), New Jersey Nets (2001-08) and New York Knicks (2012-13). For his career, he averaged 12.6 points, 8.7 assists and 6.3 rebounds per game. He won an NBA title with the Mavericks in 2011.
Bills’ Goodwin, Brooks out indefinitely
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills wide receiver Marquise Goodwin and cornerback Ron Brooks are out indefinitely with injuries.
Goodwin sustained a broken hand in the first half of Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots and sat out the rest of the contest. He underwent surgery Monday and his return is unknown. For now, he won’t be placed on injured reserve, or short term IR.
Brooks has a broken foot and will undergo surgery on Tuesday. It is the same foot Brooks broke last year and missed the first seven games of the season. His status for the rest of the season is unknown.
Coach Doug Marrone said he does not expect the injuries to be season-ending.