HARRELSON, THE SCRAPPY METS INFIELDER, DIES AT 79
Bud Harrelson, the scrappy and sure-handed shortstop who fought Pete Rose on the field during a playoff game and helped the New York Mets win an astonishing championship, died early Thursday morning. He was 79.
The Mets said Thursday that Harrelson died at a hospice house in East Northport, N.Y., after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. He was diagnosed in 2016 and publicly shared his struggle two years later, hoping he and his family could help others afflicted.
Throughout his health ordeal, Harrelson stayed involved with his professional pride and joy. He was partowner of the Long Island Ducks, an independent minor league team located minutes from his home. He called his decades of work with the club — which he was instrumental in starting and running — his greatest achievement in baseball.
The team said Harrelson’s family was planning a celebration of his life for a later date.
During a major league career that lasted from 1965-80, the light-hitting Harrelson was selected to two All-Star Games and won a Gold Glove. Known to family and teammates as Buddy, he spent his first 13 seasons with New York and was the only man in a Mets uniform for both their World Series titles.
Harrelson also managed the Mets for nearly two seasons, guiding them to a second-place NL East finish in 1990 after taking over in late May.
Baseball
The Chicago Cubs acquired power-hitting third baseman Michael Busch and reliever Yency Almonte from the Los Angeles Dodgers for two minor league prospects. The Dodgers received pitcher Jackson Ferris and center fielder Zyhir Hope.
• Marcus Stroman and the New York Yankees agreed on a $37 million, twoyear contract.
Locally
San Diego will host its first rodeo since the 1980s today, when Petco Park puts on the first of three consecutive days of competition. The San Diego Rodeo runs today through Sunday, with events set to start at 7 p.m. the first two nights and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Gates open 2 hours ahead of the start of competition.
• UC San Diego men’s volleyball (2-2), ranked 17th, ran into a hot-hitting No. 13 Ball State (4-2) on the road and fell in straight sets, 2826, 25-13, and 25-20.
Tennis
The BNP Paribas Open is increasing its total prize money by over $1.4 million to $19 million for the two-week combined men’s and women’s tournament in the Southern California desert. Over $1 million in additional prize money will be added for ATP and WTA tour players competing in singles qualifying through the second rounds.
• Top-ranked Iga Swiatek will face 2020 champion Sofia Kenin in the first round and potentially 2016 winner Angelique Kerber or Danielle Collins in the second in a tough start to her bid for a first Australian Open title. Defending champion Novak Djokovic’s bid for a record-extending 11th Australian Open title will start against a player who was in the qualifying rounds and could include a third round against Andy Murray and a quarterfinal against last year’s runner-up Stefanos
Tsitsipas.
• Third-seeded
Sebastian Korda advanced to the Adelaide International semifinals for the second year in a row after beating Australian wild-card entry Christopher O’Connell 6-4, 6-4. Korda will face Jiri Lehecka in the semifinals after the seventh-seeded Czech player beat Nicolas Jarry 6-4, 7-5. Sixth-seeded and 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko also advanced to the semifinals with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Marta Kostyuk in Adelaide.
• Top-ranked Briton
Cameron Norrie faces an injury battle ahead of next week’s Australian Open after withdrawing from the ATP Auckland Open with a wrist injury.
Skiing
Marco Odermatt finally won a World Cup downhill in his 36th attempt, after eight previous second-place finishes. The Swiss star, who has 29 World Cup wins in giant slalom and super-G, was close to flawless in ideal racing conditions on his home nation’s signature downhill track at Wengen, Switzerland, to be 0.58 seconds faster than Cyprien Sarrazin.
Local colleges
San Diego State is ranked 25th in the Softball America preseason top-25 poll.