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© St. Petersburg Times, published January 3, 2003
ST. PETERSBURG -- The Devil Rays are headed to the Hall of Fame.
The Rays and Phillies have been chosen to play in the annual exhibition in Cooperstown, N.Y., this season.
But because of scheduling conflicts, the game for the first time won't be held in conjunction with the annual induction ceremonies, scheduled for July 26-28. Instead, the Rays and Phillies will play June 16 as part of the Hall's Father's Day celebration. The Rays were scheduled to be off that day before opening a series at Yankee Stadium, so they will head to New York early.
This will be the 57th annual exhibition at Doubleday Field. It will be the first appearance for the Rays, the sixth for the Phillies.
Hall officials also are preparing a large traveling exhibit that will be in St. Petersburg at the end of this year. Hall of Fame election results will be announced Tuesday with Gary Carter, Eddie Murray and Ryan Sandberg the leading candidates.
AUTOS: The Arrows Formula One team appointed financial receivers in London, trying to salvage the company. The team has been denied a spot in this Formula One season after it missed six of the final seven races last season. COLLEGES: Florida junior outfielder Ben Harrison was selected to Baseball America's preseason All-America second team. ... Florida's women's gymnastics team is No. 8 in the preseason coaches poll by GymInfo. UCLA, Georgia and Alabama are the top three. GOLF: Brandt Snedeker, a senior at Vanderbilt, took the first-round lead of the 77th New Year's Invitational at St. Petersburg Country Club, shooting 5-under 67. Kyle McCarthy of South Pasadena was at 68. Kyle Christman, a Seminole High grad now at Winthrop University, and B.K. Suhr of North Florida were another shot back. Six-time winner Buddy Alexander, the men's golf coach at Florida, was at 71 with 54 holes to play. Brian Jeffery led the seniors division with 75
HORSES: A 16-year-old rider competing in her first race won the 10th race at Calder In Miami. Apprentice Shannon Uske rode Lilah to victory in 1:05 over 51/2 furlongs.
OLYMPICS: U.S. committee chief executive Lloyd Ward apologized for his role in a generators deal his brother Robert's company tried to make with the 2003 Pan American Games. In an e-mail to committee members, Ward said he did nothing wrong but acknowledged an "error in judgment" and offered his regrets.
SOCCER: Columbus Crew striker Brian McBride was loaned to English Premiership club Everton. TENNIS: Lleyton Hewitt, the world No. 1, lost to Jiri Novak 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 at the Hopman Cup in Perth, Australia, a mixed-team event. Hewitt's teammate, Alicia Molik, beat Daja Bedanova in the opening match, so today's mixed doubles will decide the contest. The winner faces the United States or Belgium in Saturday's final. Kim Clijsters helped Belgium to a 3-0 win against Uzbekistan and faces Serena Williams today. ... Mark Philippoussis lost in his first tournament since the U.S. Open, beaten 6-2, 6-1 by sixth-seeded Rainer Schuettler in the second round of the Tata Open in Madras, India. ... Jan-Michael Gambill beat top-seeded Roger Federer 6-4, 7-5 to reach the semifinals of the $1-million Qatar Open in Doha. ... Meghann Shaughnessy withdrew from the Australian women's hardcourt tournament at Gold Coast a day after twisting her left ankle.