Thursday's Sports shorts
OUTDOOR SPORTS
Whitebread, Arthurs win Pigeon Club races
Gary Whitebread of Mount Carroll won the first race of the second week of competition in the Rock River Valley Pigeon Club in Libertyville, Iowa.
Whitebread, who had pigeons finish first and fourth, won the 167-bird race representing 16 lofts. Whitebread’s pigeon took 3 hours, 12 minutes to go 136 miles.
Wally Arthurs of Sterling won the second race against 192 birds from 17 lofts. Arthurs’ bird went 128 miles in 2 hours, 42 minutes.
PREP SPORTS
Oregon to host Red & White Spirit Night
Oregon High School will host the 2009 Red & White Spirit Night on Aug. 21 at Landers-Loomis Field.
The event will begin at 5 p.m. and run to 9 p.m. It will include a bounce house, football toss, dunk tank, money machine and a silent auction. Fall teams will be introduced and scrimmages will be conducted.
RUNNING
5K to open Hennepin Heritage Days
The Hennepin Canal Crawl 5K Run and Walk will take place on Sept. 12. The run will begin at the canal entrance behind the Holiday Inn in Rock Falls. Other Hennepin Heritage Days events will take place Sept. 19.
Entry fee is $15 if received before Sept. 8 and $20 after. Entry blanks are available at U.S. Bank in Rock Falls or can be found online at www.rockfallschamber.com. Registrations may be mailed to U.S. Bank, Attn. Dawn Handel, 300 First Ave., Rock Falls, or dropped off at the Rock Falls Chamber office on 601 W. 10th St., Rock Falls.
Awards will be given for the top three in each of the 11 divisions. The first 75 entrants will receive a free T-shirt.
There will be a fun run for kids younger than 10 at 7:45 a.m. There is a $5 entry fee.
For more information, call Handel at 815-499-8220.
COLLEGE HOOPS
Pitino says he paid for insurance
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Rick Pitino’s greatest challenge may be saving his career and reputation amid a salacious scandal.
The woman accused of trying to extort $10 million from Pitino approached him in a restaurant 6 years ago and they had sex.
Two weeks later, the married father of five gave Karen Sypher $3,000 after she said she was going to have an abortion and didn’t have health insurance, according to a summary of Pitino’s July 12 statement to police. His attorney, Steve Pence, said Wednesday that the money was to help her get medical coverage, not specifically to pay for an abortion.
“The coach believed that the money was for insurance, that’s what she said it was for and that’s the way his report reads,” Pence said.
University of Louisville President James Ramsey expressed surprise at the new details in the scandal surrounding the 56-year-old coach, a staunch Roman Catholic whose contract includes dishonesty and moral depravity as grounds for firing.
MLB
Youkilis, Porcello suspended five games each for fight
NEW YORK – Boston star Kevin Youkilis and Detroit pitcher Rick Porcello were suspended for five games each Wednesday and fined by Major League Baseball, a day after their brawl at Fenway Park.
Youkilis will begin his suspension during Wednesday night’s game against Detroit. Porcello appealed, and no penalty will take effect until the process is complete.
“Basically, I left everything in the hands of the front office,” Youkilis said. “Whatever they thought was best for the team was good for me.”
In addition, Detroit pitched Edwin Jackson was fined for what Watson said were aggressive actions.
Players from benches and bullpens went onto the field and Youkilis tackled Porcello, but no punches were thrown. Youkilis and Porcello were ejected.
