Score Board
Ripken to retire
Having accomplished everything he set out to do in the game he's always loved, Cal Ripken is ready to try something new. Eager to spend more time with his children and teach baseball to a new generation, Ripken said Tuesday that he will end his 21-year career at the end of this season. "The reality is that players can't play forever," said Ripken, who has played his entire career with the Baltimore Orioles.
Ripken's final game will be at Yankee Stadium Sept. 30. The Yankees sold nearly 20,000 tickets for the game, making it a sellout. Ripken's final home game, scheduled for Sept. 23, is also sold out.
Record-breaking bonds
Barry Bonds is trying to keep his record-breaking home-run binge in perspective. "I'm not chasing anybody," Bonds said, after hitting his 38th homer to break two major-league records in San Francisco's victory over San Diego Wednesday.
Bonds hit a two-run shot in the eighth inning to break a tie with Reggie Jackson (1969) and Mark McGwire (1998) for the most homers before the All-Star break.
Bonds also became the quickest to hit 38, doing it in his team's 71st game. Babe Ruth hit 38 in 88 games in 1928.
Wimbledon controversy
For Wimbledon traditionalists, 2001 is shaping up as a tumultuous year.
For the first time in history, Wimbledon will have 32 seeded players in men's and women's play, instead of the usual 16. The change was made in an effort to avert a walkout by the world's leading clay-court players, who claim they are discriminated against by Wimbledon in favor of big-hitting grass-court specialists.
When the seedings were announced Monday, seven-time champion Pete Sampras was made No. 1 based on a computerized formula, even though he is only No. 5 in the rankings. Martina Hingis was seeded No. 1 in the women's field, the same as her world ranking. "I think it's the fairest way we can have it," says council chairman Jonas Bjorkman. "Mandatory events like the Grand Slams really need to have 32 seeds."
(c) Copyright 2001. The Christian Science Monitor
