Tuesday, May. 20, 2008

Leading Off

News that can bruise

A newspaper photographer got a little too close to the action at the Utah high school track championships -- and was speared through the leg by a javelin. Ryan McGeeney of the Standard-Examiner in Provo was spared serious injury Saturday, and even managed to snap a photo of his speared leg while others tended to him. "If I didn't, it would probably be my editor's first question when I got back," McGeeney said.

Tiger to play Buick

Tiger Woods intends to play in the Buick Open on June 26. Buick marketing manager Larry Peck announced Woods' participation at a Monday news conference. Woods hasn't played since having knee surgery after the Masters, and isn't expected to return until the U.S. Open in mid-June.

Vandals hit course

Torrey Pines, the San Diego course that will host the U.S. Open, beefed up its security after the signature hole was vandalized for the second time in a month. Workers arriving Sunday found a vulgarity etched into a sand trap on the south course's third green and several broken sprinkler heads.

Bat company sued

The family of a boy who suffered brain damage after he was struck by a line drive off an aluminum baseball bat sued the bat's maker and others Monday, saying they should have known it was dangerous. The family of Steven Domalewski, who was 12 when he was struck by the ball in 2006, filed the lawsuit in a New Jersey Superior Court. It names Hillerich & Bradsby Co., maker of the 31-inch, 19-ounce Louisville Slugger TPX Platinum bat used when Steven was hit. The lawsuit also names Little League Baseball and Sports Authority, which sold the bat.

This is no Sham'

Frank Shamrock, a five-time Ultimate Fighting champ and perhaps the biggest name in the sport, will serve as an analyst and color commentator for the inaugural "CBS Elitexc Saturday Night Fights." The telecast will be anchored by CBS veteran play-by-play man Gus Johnson, a practicing martial artist and mainstay for the network's college basketball, NBA and NFL games. Shamrock, brother of pro wrestler Ken Shamrock, is a pioneer of full-contact cage fighting and the first UFC middleweight champion. The event will be broadcast live May 31 from the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., at 6 p.m.