Wednesday's Sports in Brief
NEW YORK (AP) BASEBALL
The Baseball Hall of Fame is starting a drug education program for students and young adults - in the same year Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa will appear on ballot for the first time after careers tainted by steroid accusations.
While adding PEDs to RBIs and ERAs among its interests, the Hall emphasized that its new initiative wasn't tied to the former stars up for election or the people who will choose them.
The Hall plans to promote a healthy lifestyle that is free of PEDs. The program will be called ``Be A Superior Example,'' or ``BASE'' for short, and will work with the Taylor Hooton Foundation and the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Emilio Bonifacio became the second player to defeat the Miami Marlins in salary arbitration this year.
Bonifacio was awarded a $2.2 million salary by a three-person panel rather than the Marlins' offer of $1.95 million. Pitcher Anibal Sanchez beat the Marlins in a case decided Monday.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Having won the first two AL pennants in franchise history, the Texas Rangers want to keep their key players around for a while.
Slick-fielding shortstop Elvis Andrus and the Rangers finalized a $14.4 million, three-year contract. The deal covers his three years of salary arbitration eligibility, and Texas would like to discuss an even longer agreement with agent Scott Boras.
COLLEGE
At long last, Memphis is part of the Big East.
The Big East says the Tigers officially accepted an invitation to be part of the conference's next incarnation in 2013. Memphis is the seventh school, and fourth from Conference USA, to sign up for future membership in the Big East since December. The Tigers will compete in the Big East in all sports.
STORRS, Conn. (AP) - Connecticut basketball coach Jim Calhoun will miss Saturday's game against No. 2 Syracuse while on an indefinite medical leave of absence because of spinal stenosis, a painful condition in his lower back.
The school announced that Calhoun would not be at the game at Syracuse. He missed last Saturday's win over Seton Hall and Monday's loss at Louisville.
Calhoun, who turns 70 in May, is scheduled to meet with specialists over the next few days to determine the best course of treatment.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - The University of North Dakota said it will resume using its contentious Fighting Sioux nickname despite threats from the NCAA, marking the latest twist in a protracted fight about a name its critics consider offensive.
A state law that required the university to use the nickname and a logo that shows the profile of an American Indian warrior was repealed last year. But late Tuesday, supporters of the name filed petitions demanding that the issue be put to a statewide vote.
University President Robert Kelley said the school decided to use the name and logo to reaffirm its respect for the referendum process.
The NCAA has told UND that continued use of the nickname and logo will expose the school to sanctions.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Jerry Sandusky's lawyer filed court paperwork arguing that jurors in his child sex abuse trial should be chosen from the community where he lives and suggesting that a trial delay might be the best way to address the intense publicity generated by the case.
Defense attorney Joe Amendola wrote that the former Penn State assistant football coach is opposed to a request by the state attorney general's office to bring in out-of-county jurors, saying publicity about Sandusky's case has been so pervasive that jurors from other counties will also have been saturated with news coverage.
NFL
It appears Santonio Holmes is sticking around - just as the New York Jets said he would.
By remaining on the roster through the second day of the NFL's waiver period Tuesday, the talented but troublesome wide receiver will get $15.25 million in guaranteed money over the next two seasons. A clause in Holmes' five-year, $45 million contract, signed last offseason, kicked in Wednesday morning.
Holmes' future appeared murky with the Jets after a tumultuous season in which he feuded with quarterback Mark Sanchez and the offensive line, and was benched during the season finale in Miami for arguing in the huddle.
Holmes, already guaranteed his salary for next season, had a $7.5 million guarantee for the 2013 season kick in after Tuesday.
SOCCER
LONDON (AP) - England coach Fabio Capello dramatically quit just four months before the European Championship after publicly challenging the Football Association's decision to remove John Terry as captain over racism charges.
The FA says that ``in a meeting for over an hour, Fabio's resignation was accepted and he will leave the post of England manager with immediate effect.''
WNBA
LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Los Angeles Sparks signed four-time WNBA All-Star Alana Beard to a free-agent contract.
Beard averaged 16.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists in six seasons with Washington before missing the last two seasons with ankle and foot injuries.
