ST. LOUIS — Mark McGwire received a standing ovation from Cardinals fans in his first public appearance in St. Louis since admitting he used steroids. In a brief appearance on stage, McGwire said he was happy about his chance to put on a major league uniform again.
His scheduled news conference, only minutes later, was much more combative. The session was shifted to an overcrowded hallway at the last minute, and McGwire evaded questions about the criticism he's received from ex-players. He repeatedly emphasized that he was ready to talk about the game instead of performance-enhancing drugs.
FOOTBALL
Gaines Adams dies at 26 from cardiac arrest
GREENWOOD, S.C. — Gaines Adams, an All-American defensive end at Clemson whose career never blossomed in the NFL with Chicago and Tampa Bay, died Sunday after going into cardiac arrest. He was 26.
He died at Self Regional Hospital after going into cardiac arrest at his family's home in Greenwood, said Marcia Kelley-Clark, chief deputy coroner for Greenwood County.
An autopsy showed an enlarged heart, a condition that can often lead to a heart attack, Kelley-Clark added. She said relatives were unaware of any medical condition.
Adams, 6-foot-5 and 258 pounds, spent three seasons in the NFL, two with the Buccaneers and part of this season with the Bears.
GOLF
Palmer takes one-shot victory at Sony Open
HONOLULU — Ryan Palmer went from anxious to overwhelmed in the 50 feet his chip shot traveled on the final hole until it struck the pin and settled inches away, leading to a one-shot victory in the Sony Open.
The victory made the 33-year-old Texan exempt on the PGA Tour through 2012, and earned him a trip back to the Masters for the first time in five years.
Nicklaus and Watson win Champions Skins Game
KAANAPALI, Hawaii — Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson held off defending champions Fuzzy Zoeller and Ben Crenshaw to win the Champions Skins Game.
Nicklaus, who will be 70 on Thursday, and Watson birdied two holes to win three skins and $130,000 on the back nine. They finished with 10 skins and $350,000 for their second victory in the event in four years.
AUTO RACING
Spain's Carlos Sainz wins Dakar Rally
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Carlos Sainz of Spain won the Dakar Rally in just over 47 hours, closely tailing his Volkswagen teammate Nasser Al-Attiyah in the final stage on Saturday.
Sainz finished 2:12 ahead of Al-Attiyah and 35:21 better than Mark Miller of the United States in the sweep for Volkswagen. They spent two weeks traversing the world's toughest auto race through Argentina and Chile.
Al-Attiyah started the 14th stage trailing Sainz by 2:48 overall, and won the sprint from San Rafael to San Carlos de Bolivar. Sainz was 36 seconds behind in the final stage.
