Fralic, lineman for Pitt and Falcons, dies at 56
Bill Fralic, the burly, bruising and athletic offensive lineman who starred for the Atlanta Falcons and was a three-time All-American at the University of Pittsburgh, died Thursday. He was 56.
He suffered from cancer and died at his home in suburban Atlanta, the university said.
Fralic was the first offensive lineman to finish in the top 10 in Heisman Trophy balloting — eighth in 1983 and sixth in 1984. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1998. The school retired his No. 79 at halftime of his final home game in 1984.
“Bill Fralic is the best,”
Joe Moore, who worked as Pitt’s offensive line coach during Fralic’s career, once said. “If you can find somebody better, bring him to me. I’ve been privileged to coach some good ones here, but none better than Bill Fralic. Those kind only pass through once.”
Atlanta selected Fralic with the second overall pick in the 1985 draft. He spent nine seasons in the league. He was named to the Pro Bowl four times and earned All-Pro honors in 1986 and 1987. The NFL placed him on its All-Decade Team for the 1980s even though Atlanta struggled during much of his career. The Falcons went 27-67-1 during Fralic’s first six seasons before finally reaching the playoffs in 1991.
OBITUARY Joan Steinbrenner, Yanks matriarch
Joan Steinbrenner, the wife of late New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, died Friday. She was 83.
Joan Steinbrenner held the title of Yankees vice chair. The team said she died at her home in Tampa, Fla.
In 1956, she married George Steinbrenner, who died in 2010.
PRO HOCKEY Ovechkin nets 3 in Caps’ SO win
Alex Ovechkin had his second consecutive hat trick, and Jakub Vrana scored in the sixth round of a shootout to lead Washington past Carolina 6-5 at Raleigh, N.C.
Ovechkin's three goals gave him an NHL-best 28 this season and nine in his last five games. His 13-game point streak matched his career high set in 2006-07.
Tom Wilson and Travis Boyd also scored for the defending Stanley Cup champion Capitalss, who have won 11-of-13. Justin Williams scored the tying goal with 6:12 left, and Sebastian Aho had two goals and two assists for the Hurricanes.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL DuBose leads way in HBU victory
Ian DuBose scored 18 points to help lead Houston Baptist past Arlington Baptist 107-70 at Sharp Gym. Jalon Gates added 13 points, Benjamin Uloko had 12 points and nine rebounds, and Jackson Stent scored 12 pointsfor the Huskies (3-5), who shot 51 percent overall and made 20 of 26 free throws.
Kennedy Jones led the Patriots from the National Christian College Athletic Association with 15 points.
BOXING Alvarez does have pressure to win
In an odd way, there is more pressure on Canelo Alvarez when he fights unheralded Rocky Fielding on Saturday night than there was in his two matchups with Gennady Golovkin.
A loss to the World Boxing Association super middleweight champion not only could taint his decision over Golovkin this year, but it could significantly muddle the future for the Mexican star.
Alvarez (50-1-2) moves up from 160 pounds to 168 in search of a third division title, which would place him in special company among his countrymen — only eight others have held three division crowns. That’s the quest at Madison Square Garden against Fielding, a heavy underdog despite owning the belt.
As for moving up in weight but down in class — no one is comparing England’s Fielding (27-1, 15 knockouts) to Golovkin — Alvarez insists there are no worries. He’s not going to be looking ahead to his 2019 schedule just yet.
“I never like to get overconfident, whether I am the favorite or not,” said Alvarez, whose only loss was to Floyd Mayweather five years ago when Alvarez wasn’t quite ready for such a master boxer.
WINTER SPORTS Use of oxygen will cost Luitz
The International Ski Federation intends to strip German racer Stefan
Luitz of his first World Cup victory for using an oxygen mask.
FIS secretary general
Sarah Lewis said the German Ski Association was notified that the rules call for “disqualification from the race at the event where the offense occurred.”
Racing in a giant slalom in Beaver Creek, Colo., this month that started at an altitude of 10,340 feet, Luitz was seen using an oxygen tank between runs. He won by retaining his first-run lead.
The victory ended runner-up Marcel Hirscher’s five-race win streak in the event, but the Olympic champ in giant slalom still could be awarded the win.
FIS anti-doping rules state oxygen tanks cannot be brought to race venues. In other news: • Norwegian skier Aksel
Lund Svindal narrowly edged Italian rival Christof
Innerhofer to win a World Cup super-G and extend his record to seven career victories at Val Gardena, Italy. Svindal finished 0.05 seconds ahead of Innerhofer and 0.27 in front of Norwegian teammate
Kjetil Jansrud. The victory moved Svindal to the top of the overall World Cup standings and the super-G standings.