Off the wire
FOOTBALL
Plaintiff dead
Kevin Turner, one of the lead plaintiffs in a concussion-related lawsuit brought by more than 5,000 former players against the NFL, died Thursday after a six-year battle against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. He was 46. Turner, a star running back at Alabama who played for eight years in the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots, was one of the loudest advocates in the case against the league, which was accused of hiding the dangers of concussions and head hits from players. In 2013, the NFL reached a settlement with the players that was approved by a federal judge in 2015. When hundreds of cases were consolidated in 2011, Turner, representing the subclass of players who have a diagnosable disease covered in the settlement, lent his name to the case, Kevin Turner and Shawn Wooden v. National Football League and NFL Properties LLC. Wooden, who played eight years for the Miami Dolphins and the Chicago Bears, represents the subclass of players who did not have a disease covered in the settlement. Turner lived in Birmingham, Ala., about two hours by car from Prattville, Ala., where he grew up. He had three children. After Turner learned he had ALS in 2010, he created the Kevin Turner Foundation to raise awareness about sports-related brain trauma and support research and treatment initiatives. He also appeared in the film American Man: The Price of Gridiron Glory, which chronicled his life.
GOLF
Compos out front
Rafael Compos shot an 8-under 64 in front of his home fans to take the first-round lead in the PGA Tour’s Puerto Rico Open at Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. Compos, 27, had eight birdies in a bogey-free round at Coco Beach. He made four consecutive birdies on Nos. 9-12, added another on the par-5 15th and parred the final three holes. George McNeill, the 2012 winner, was a stroke back. He had six birdies in a
seven-hole stretch and closed with a bogey on the par-4 ninth. Defending champion Alex Cejka was at 66 along with Aaron Baddeley,
Frank Lickliter and Will MacKenzie. English stars Luke Donald and Ian Poulter are playing after failing to qualify for the WGC Match Play event in Texas. Donald opened with a 69 and Poulter shot 71. Bryce Molder (Conway) had a 70. Andrew Landry (Razorbacks) shot a 71. Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) had an even-par 72. John Daly (Dardanelle, Arkansas Razorbacks) was at 1-over 73.
Inbee Park shot a 5-under 67 for a share of the lead in the LPGA Tour’s Kia Classic at Carlsbad, Calif., the final event before the major ANA Inspiration next week in Rancho Mirage. Park played the back nine at Aviara in 4 under in her afternoon round, making her final birdie on the par-5 17th. She hit 11 of 14 fairways in regulation, 14 of 18 greens, and had 27 putts. The second-ranked South Korean withdrew because of a back pain after a first-round 80 in the opener in the Bahamas and has struggled to regain that form that carried her to two major titles and five victories last year. Morning starters Brittany Lang, Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Ai Miyazato matched Park at 67, and top-ranked Lydia Ko was another stroke back along with Jane Park and Mi Jung Hur. Gaby Lopez (Arkansas Razorbacks) had a 1-under 71. Stacy Lewis (Razorbacks) shot an even-par 72.
BASEBALL
A-Rod may not quit
Alex Rodriguez now says he could change his mind and play beyond 2017, but the New York Yankees slugger repeated his current intent is to quit after two more seasons. Rodriguez, who turns 41 in July, is fourth on the career homerun list with 687. He revealed his intentions Wednesday during an interview with ESPN. “I stand by my comment,” Rodriguez said Thursday before the Yankees played Tampa Bay. “In baseball, 30 days is an eternity. I can’t tell you what can happen in two years. I’m going to fulfill my contract, and I have a right to make a decision then, too. With two years out it’s a little different.” Rodriguez is 75 home runs shy of matching Barry Bonds’ career record and likely would be unable to reach it unless he plays into 2018. Also ahead of him are Babe Ruth (714) and Hank Aaron (755).
Kansas City Royals reliever Tim Collins will need Tommy John surgery for the second time. The team said Thursday he tore his elbow tendon again while rehabbing. The Royals had been optimistic he would return in May. Then he experienced soreness while throwing recently and the team ordered an MRI. The left-hander has not pitched since Game 6 of the 2014 World Series. His initial reconstructive elbow surgery came during last spring training. Collins, 26, led American League relievers with 93 strikeouts in 2012 and was 12-17 with a 3.54 in 228 bullpen appearances over four seasons. He is to make $1.48 million this year.
Major League Baseball is opening an office in Mexico City, joining its existing branches in Beijing, London, Sydney, Tokyo and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. MLB made the announcement Thursday, ahead of two weekend exhibition series in Mexico City between Houston and San Diego. Rodrigo Fernandez will be managing director of the new office. He was a vice president of World Wrestling Entertainment’s Latin American operations and also has worked for Fox International, Sony Pictures and The Walt Disney Co. MLB also announced an extension through 2018 of its broadcast agreement with Televisa, which includes regular-season games, the All-Star Game and the postseason.
SOCCER
Beckham buys land
David Beckham and his investors said they have purchased the private land needed for a soccer stadium in Miami. Miami Beckham United announced in a news release Thursday the purchase of six acres in the city’s Overtown neighborhood, just a block from the Miami River. The deal comes after more than two years of failed attempts to bring a Major League Soccer franchise to three other sites. The next step for Beckham and his partners is to buy another three-acre parcel from Miami-Dade County and secure zoning changes from the city of Miami. Details of the deal weren’t disclosed. The project has previously been projected to cost more than $200 million. Sites considered in the past were at PortMiami, downtown near the American-Airlines Arena and near Marlins Park in Little Havana.
Dutch soccer great Johan Cruyff, who revolutionized the game with the concept of “Total Football,’ has died. He was 68. Family spokesman Carole Thate confirmed to The Associated Press that Cruyff had died. Joaquin Munoz of the Cruyff Foundation in Barcelona said he died as a result of lung cancer. The three-time European player of year won three European championships with Ajax and one with Barcelona as a coach. The world-record transfer fee Barcelona paid for Cruyff in 1973 was a milestone in the commercialization of sport. His instinctive genius for how a move would develop earned him the label “Pythagorus in boots.”
MOTOR SPORTS
Fines handed out
Danica Patrick has been fined $20,000 by NASCAR for walking near the race track after a crash.
Kyle Busch has been fined $10,000 for failing to meet media obligations at California. Patrick was also placed on probation for four races. Contact with Kasey Kahne in Sunday’s race at Auto Club Speedway caused her to wreck, and she violated a rule that says no one can “approach any portion of the racing surface or apron” when she gestured at Kahne. Busch has also been placed on probation through April 27 for failing to report to the media center following Saturday’s Xfinity Series race.