Sunday, May 4, 2008
Julio Franco finally called it quits.
The oldest player to hit a home run in the majors announced his retirement from baseball after a 23-year career in the major leagues and stints in his native Dominican Republic, South Korea, Japan and Mexico.
"It was the hardest decision in my life," Franco said in an interview published yesterday by Mexican sports daily Record. "I always said I would be the first one to know the exact moment. I think the numbers speak for themselves, the production speaks and this is the right moment.
"I understand that my time has passed and the great men and athletes know when to say enough."
The 49-year-old infielder announced his retirement Wednesday night to his Mexican league team, the Quintana Roo Tigers. The league posted the news on its Web site the next day.
Franco last played in the majors in 2007, when he played in 55 games with the New York Mets (40) and the Atlanta Braves (15). He batted .222 with one home run and 16 RBI in 90 at-bats.
Franco hit his last major league home run against Randy Johnson on May 4, 2007. At 48, he became the oldest player to homer in the majors.
The Dominican retired with a .298 average, 2,586 hits and 173 home runs in 23 seasons in the majors with eight teams.
· BOXING: Firat Arslan earned a convincing decision against Takoma Park's Darnell"Ding-A-Ling Man" Wilson in the first defense of his WBA cruiserweight title in Stuttgart, Germany.
The German pressed the fight form the opening seconds, hitting Wilson with regularity from the second round when a left hook sent the American to the ropes.
All three judges ruled the fight 117-111.
The best round for Wilson (23-7-3, 20 knockouts) was the seventh, when he picked up the pace, catching the German several times and getting him to back off for a while.
Arslan (28-3, 18 knockouts) is a 37-year-old who won the title in November against Virgil Hill. Self-taught, he didn't have a trainer and manager until his past six fights.
"I fought my heart out," Wilson said. "I came in feeling confident tonight, but he was better." . . .
In what was little more than a tuneup for a much bigger fight, Oscar De La Hoya kicked off his retirement tour before an appreciative crowd in Carson, Calif., by pitching a near shutout over an overmatched Steve Forbes.
The win set up a September rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr., who beat De La Hoya by split decision last May in what was the richest fight ever.
· BASKETBALL: Hawks forward Marvin Williams isn't sure he'll be able to play today in Game 7 of Atlanta's first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics after spraining his left knee.
Williams, who was hurt in the fourth quarter of a win Friday night, took part in a walkthrough at Philips Arena yesterday before the team departed for Boston. But his knee was iced and heavily taped, and he didn't even attempt to bend it during the light, 30-minute workout.
"It's pretty sore right now," said Williams, who led the Hawks with 18 points in Game 6. "As of right now, the trainers list me as doubtful. I'll do the best I can to get as much treatment as I can and see if I can play." . . .
Rick Carlisle is the front-runner to replace Avery Johnson as coach of the Dallas Mavericks. Carlisle -- a former NBA coach of the year who had successful stints in Detroit and Indianapolis -- is the only serious candidate the team has interviewed since firing Johnson on Wednesday.
· AUTO RACING: Bobby Labonte became the latest driver to take himself off the free agent market, agreeing to a contract extension with Petty Enterprises, a person familiar with the negotiations told the Associated Press.
The former Cup Series champion had been considering an extension since late last year and decided this week to continue driving the famed No. 43 Dodge.
· HOCKEY: Rangers forward Sean Avery was transferred out of the intensive care unit yesterday and remained hospitalized during recovery from a lacerated spleen.
There was no immediate word when Avery would be released from the hospital, Rangers spokesman John Rosasco said. The rugged winger had been in intensive care since he was injured Tuesday night, with doctors waiting for internal bleeding to stop.
· SWIMMING: Larisa Ilchenko of Russia defended her 10-kilometer open-water world crown and amputee Natalie Du Toit of South Africa qualified for the Beijing Olympics by finishing fourth in Seville, Spain.
Ilchenko swam the four loops of the Guadalquivir River course in 2 hours 2 minutes, 2.7 seconds. Last year, she won the title at Melbourne, Australia.
Britain's Cassandra Patten finished 3.1 seconds behind in second, and Yurema Requena of Spain was 4.5 seconds back in third.
Du Toit was only 5.1 seconds behind Ilchenko. The 24-year-old lost her left leg after being hit by a car in 2001.
-- From News Services
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