BOXING: Ex-champ Basilio dead at 85
Carmen Basilio, a genial onion farmer’s son who wrested the world middleweight boxing crown from Sugar Ray Robinson in 1957 and lost an equally epic, razor-edge rematch six months later, died yesterday at age 85.Edward Brophy, executive director of the Boxing Hall of Fame in upstate New York, said Basilio died at a Rochester hospital where he was being treated for pneumonia. Basilio lived in the Rochester suburb of Irondequoit and was among the first class of Hall of Fame inductees in 1990.
NCAA: Former Texas football coach Royal dead
Darrell Royal, the former Texas football coach who guided the Longhorns to two national championships, has died. He was 88. Royal had suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and recently fell at an assisted living center where he was receiving care. He didn’t have a single losing season in his 23 years as a head coach at Texas, Mississippi State and Washington.
Citing the need to focus on the recovery efforts for Hurricane Sandy, the New York Urban League and the Yankees announced the cancellation of the 2012 Football Classic that was to be played at Yankee Stadium on Saturday between Morgan State and Hampton.
Hofstra sophomore guard Shaquille Stokes has been granted a hardship waiver by the NCAA and will be eligible to play this season. Stokes, who attended Lincoln High in Brooklyn, transferred to Hofstra following his freshman season at the University of Hawaii.
Anthon Samuel ran for 181 yards and two touchdowns to help Bowling Green (7-3, 5-1 MAC) beat host Ohio (8-2, 4-2) 26-14 for its sixth straight victory.
NFL: Tillman may miss Sunday’s game
Bears cornerback Charles Tillman might miss Sunday’s game against the Texans because of the pending birth of his daughter.
Chiefs quarterback Brady Quinn has not been cleared for contact following his concussion and will miss his second straight start Monday night against the Steelers.
The Titans are putting starting right guard Leroy Harris on injured reserve with a partially torn right ACL.
ETC.: Rockies hire Walt Weis as skipper
Walt Weiss was hired to replace Jim Tracy as manager of the Rockies. Matt Williams and Jason Giambi also interviewed for the job.
Former Harlem Globetrotter Fred Smith won a seat in the Arkansas state legislature on Tuesday as a member of the Green Party. A judge disqualified Smith’s opponent, Hudson Hallum, for a felony conviction involving voter fraud.
Scott Gomez, the former Ranger and Devil, is heading back to the Alaska Aces as the NHL lockout drags on. The Alaska native, who currently plays for the Canadiens, will make his debut next week.
In Braga, Portugal, Javier Hernandez, Wayne Rooney and substitute Robin van Persie scored late goals as Manchester United rallied for a 3-1 win over Braga, putting the English team into the next round of the Champions League.