Putting It Briefly

Putting It Briefly

Taiwan, Indonesia
likely to win

WELLINGTON (AFP): With three days left to play in the Far East
Bridge Championship here Saturday the likely winners are showing
themselves.

Seven rounds of matches are still to come in the open but
victory seems likely for either Chinese Taipei or Indonesia who
are comfortably clear at the top of the 11 nation field.

Chinese Taipei with 289 points are 15 points in front of
Indonesia at this stage with China third on 241.

The women's event is even clearer with just six rounds of
matches to be played. China, on 269, looks unstoppable and it
will take several major upsets to prevent them taking the title
for the third consecutive year.

Baseball results

NEW YORK (Reuter): Results of Major League Baseball games
played on Saturday

American League
Cleveland 4 Oakland 2
Toronto 9 California 4
Chicago 6 Baltimore 2
New York 5 Kansas City 3 (10 innings)
Milwaukee 7 Seattle 5
Minnesota 10 Detroit 9 (10 innings)
Boston 3 Texas 2 (10 innings)

National League
Colorado 3 Montreal 2 (10)
New York 5 Cincinnati 4
Florida 3 San Francisco 2
Houston 7 Philadelphia 5
Chicago 9 Atlanta 2
Pittsburgh 7 Los Angeles 2
San Diego 4 St Louis 0

Scotland loses

MENDOZA, Argentina (Reuter): Scotland, who meet the Pumas in
the first test next weekend, were still looking for their first
win after two tour Argentine tour matches following a 25-11
defeat by Cuyo on Saturday.

The Argentine provincial side, who have had a poor season in
the national championship, went ahead after only two minutes with
a drop goal from flyhalf Andia and never looked back.

Scottish flyhalf Duncan Hodge atoned for two missed penalties
with a first half try when the tourists were already 13-0 down.
Center Rowen Shepherd kicked two second half penalties.

San Jose pays
tribute to Smith

SAN JOSE, California (AFP): Tommie Smith, the sprinter whose
raised-fist black-power salute on the Olympic victory podium in
1968 got him thrown off the US team, was honored at the Bruce
Jenner Classic athletics meeting Saturday.

Smith, 49, was awarded a trophy commemorating his world record
200-meter victory at the Mexico City Games. Mayor Susan Hammer
declared Saturday "Tommie Smith Day" in San Jose.

Jenner, the Olympic decathlon champion in 1976, said of Smith:
"He had the most beautiful stride I've ever seen in my life. I'm
so glad we could honor him today."

Boli in
Spurs link

MARSEILLE, France (AFP): English Premiership side Tottenham
Hotspur offered 2.3 million pounds (US$3.5 million) for Olympique
Marseille's French international defender Basile Boli, according
to the French club on Saturday.

It also revealed that Boli, who is being courted by Italian
club Lazio, was also interesting Arsenal.

Boli headed Marseille's winning goal in their 1-0 European Cup
final win over AC Milan at Munich last year.

Faldo escapes
fine

WENTWORTH, England (AFP): Nick Faldo has escaped a fine for
refusing to give a Press conference after the first round of the
PGA championship.

The Englishman, unhappy after three-putting four times in his
opening 72, stormed off the course on Friday, shrugging aside
journalists and PGA officials before yelling to David Leadbeater,
his coach, to bring some extra putters.

However, tournament director John Paramor spoke to Faldo after
his second round 70 on Saturday, and said: "No action will be
taken. I'm happy with the reasons and the circumstances."

Dispute settled

LONDON (AFP): English Premiership clubs Everton and Norwich
City reached a settlement on Saturday over manager Mike Walker's
move to Merseyside.

Everton have dropped their appeal against the 125,000 pound
penalty imposed on them by the Football Association for poaching
Walker from Carrow Road.

The two clubs issued a joint statement saying they were
bringing the long-running saga to a close.

Vogts tries new
midfield pairing

HANOVER, Germany (AFP): Coach Berti Vogts tries out several
options when world champions Germany play Ireland in a World Cup
warm-up match here yesterday.

Martin Wagner and Mario Basler are given a run-out in midfield
with Thomas Hassler being the notable absentee.

Basler will play just behind the front duo Jurgen Klinsmann
and Karl-Heinz Riedle.

Sampras donates
AIDS foundation

PARIS (Reuter): World tennis number one Pete Sampras
announced on Saturday he was donating a trophy worth almost one
million dollars to the Arthur Ashe Foundation to help AIDS
sufferers.

The American is a three-time winner of the Lyon Open
tournament, which qualified him to become a permanent recipient
of the gold, bronze and diamond-encrusted trophy.

Instead, Sampras has instructed the jeweler to donate the
trophy direct to the Arthur Ashe Foundation, established by the
late former Wimbledon champion in 1992 to educate the public
about AIDS and raise funds.