Associated Press
NEW YORK ó The Babe moved Wednesday.
Workers removed and crated the Babe Ruth monument that was first installed at Yankee Stadium in April 1949. In center field through the 1973 season, the tribute was relocated to Monument Park behind the left-field fence when the ballpark reopened in 1976 following a 21/2-year renovation.
Now, the team is moving across 161st Street to a new Yankee Stadium, scheduled to formally open on April 16. The monument is being stored in the old ballpark temporarily until it is installed in the new Monument Park, which will be behind the center-field fence.
– OAKLAND, Calif. ó It’s official. Matt Holliday hardly could have expected to land with the low-budget Oakland Athletics.
The A’s completed their trade with the Colorado Rockies for the star outfielder Wednesday, securing the big bat Oakland sought for the middle of its order.
NASCAR
MIAMI ó Teresa Earnhardt and Chip Ganassi will combine their sponsorship-strapped race teams next season, an effort to stabilize their organizations in a tough economic time.
The combined team will be called Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates and will field cars for Martin Truex, Aric Almirola, Juan Pablo Montoya and a driver yet to be named.
“In this ultra-competitive era of NASCAR, it is necessary to build and sustain the strongest team possible, and our combining with the people and equipment at Dale Earnhardt Inc. will help create a strong four-car program for years to come,” Ganassi said Wednesday in a statement. “This is a win-win for both organizations as well as all of our partners.”
Both organizations have struggled to secure sponsorship this season, forcing the teams to pool resources. Although neither team was in imminent danger of collapse, both were searching for additional funds to shore up competition and stability.
Ganassi shuttered his No. 40 team in July when he couldn’t find sponsorship for former Indy Racing League champion Dario Franchitti, who has since returned to that series.
That move forced Ganassi to lay off 71 people, and he was hopeful he could avoid more cutbacks after joining forces with Earnhardt. DEI, however, was expected to reduce its staff with the new venture.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
CHAPEL HILL _ North Carolina junior receiver Hakeem Nicks set the school’s career record for receiving yardage over the weekend and had a four-touchdown game against Boston College a few weeks ago. But coach Butch Davis said he’s not sure whether Nicks will consider declaring for the NFL draft or returning for another year with the 17th-ranked Tar Heels.
“Hakeem and I have had discussions prior to the start of the season,” Davis said. “And then after that, it’s just, ‘Play as great as you can.’ When the season’s over with, he and I will sit down with this family and we’ll take a look realistically. … There’s no sense of urgency. We’ve got plenty of time.”
Nicks leads the league at 94.9 yards receiving per game to go with eight touchdown catches.
– MIAMI ó If Miami receiver Kayne Farquharson had his way, the Hurricanes’ game against Virginia Tech wouldn’t be a prime-time Thursday night affair.
It’s not like he won’t enjoy the national spotlight.
He just doesn’t want to wait around all day for kickoff.
“It’s going to kind of be like the ‘Rumble in the Jungle,”‘ Farquharson said.
OK, comparing this game between the Hurricanes (6-3, 3-2) and the Hokies (6-3, 3-2) to one of the most fabled heavyweight championship fights of all time is, well, quite a reach. It’s more like an elimination bout in the ACC, since the winner will stay atop the Coastal Division and remain in the Orange Bowl chase