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.