BASEBALL: Rays change colors
The Tampa Bay Devil Rays have changed their team name and colors. The team will now be known as the Tampa Bay Rays. The new team colors will be a mix of navy and light blue. The previous colors were green and white. The team was previously nicknamed after a stingray.
* General managers in Orlando decided that base coaches will wear some sort of head protection next season, a move that comes four months after Mike Coolbaugh was killed by a line drive during a minor league game.
NHL: Rangers valued No. 2
The Toronto Maple Leafs are the most valuable NHL team, even though the Original Six franchise hasn’t captured the Stanley Cup in 40 years, according to Forbes Magazine. The Leafs have a current value of $332 million, $26 million more than the Rangers in second place. The Washington Capitals, at $127 million, have the lowest franchise value.
NBA: Stern warns Seattle
Commissioner David Stern yesterday warned that if the Sonics leave Seattle, he sees no way the league would ever return to the city.
Stern criticized the city of Seattle and the Washington legislature for its handling of the issue of funding a replacement for Key Arena after Sonics owner Clay Bennett told the NBA last week he plans to move the team to Oklahoma City.
GOLF: Creamer, Mallon share lead
Paula Creamer birdied the final seven holes for a share of the first-round lead with Meg Mallon in the Tournament of Champions at Mobile, Ala., ending Suzann Pettersen‘s run at the top of the leaderboard at six rounds. Creamer and Mallon shot 5-under 67s, leaving them two strokes ahead of Pettersen, Natalie Gulbis, Pat Hurst, Mi Hyun Kim and Seon Hwa Lee.
H.S. FOOTBALL: PSAL playoffs on tap
The first round of the PSAL playoffs begin tomorrow, all games at noon: No. 16 Madison at No. 1 Curtis; No. 15 August Martin at No. 2 Port Richmond; No. 14 Campus Magnet at No. 3 Canarsie; No. 13 Grady at No. 4 New Utrecht; No. 12 Grand Street at No. 5 Tottenville; No. 11 Midwood at No. 6 JFK; No. 10 Lehman at No. 7 New Dorp; No. 9 Sheepshead Bay at No. 8 Ft. Hamilton.