LOCAL

LOCAL
Scrappers seekP.A. announcer
NILES -- The Mahoning Valley Scrappers will hold tryouts for a public address announcer for the 2002 season on Tuesday from 6 to 9 p.m. at Cafaro Field. Enter through the main gate.
Tryouts are open to anyone. The tryout will consist of each candidate introducing a batter, reading an announcement or other related segments. Candidates for the position need to be available to work all 38 Scrappers home games.
For more information call Evan Himes at (330) 505-0000.
Girard Oldtimerswin 8-3
Rick Sherock slammed four hits and Dennis Malaska got the mound win, as the Girard Oldtimers baseball team registered an 8-3 win over New Springfield. Randy Mason, Bill McKernan and Russ Hake added two hits each for Girard.
Correction
Boardman pole vaulter Allison Brager was incorrectly listed as a Fitch student in a photo caption in Wednesday's editions.
Scrappers NightJune 8 at Mercer
MERCER, Pa. -- For the second straight year, Mercer Raceway Park will once again host Mahoning Valley Scrappers Night as part of the annual baseball-themed night on Saturday, June 8.
A complete show of Luxaire Heating & amp; Cooling Sprint Cars, Big-Block Modifieds, New Castle School of Trades Sportsman Modifieds, and Butterfield's Pub Stock Cars will fill out the racing part of the evening.
All little leaguers in jerseys will be admitted free and 100 tickets will be given away for one of the Scrappers' home games.
Three hundred official Mercer Raceway Park souvenir baseballs plus more Mercer Raceway Park pennants sponsored by Pepsi will be given out to the youngsters. Also, the Scrappers' mascot, & quot;Scrappy & quot;, will be entertaining the kids throughout the night.
Gates will open at 4:30 and racing will begin at 7 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults. Students 6-15 are $5. A Family Pass is $23. Those five and under are admitted free. For more information call 724-964-9300 or check outwww.mercerracewaypark.com.
Mercer Raceway Park is located 3 miles north of I-80, exit 15.
NATION
NHL studiessafety issues
DETROIT -- The NHL is exploring how to make arenas safer for spectators following the death of a 13-year-old girl at a Columbus Blue Jackets game earlier this season.
A full plan will be detailed at a June 20 Board of Governors meeting, but commissioner Gary Bettman declined Thursday to discuss specifics until he receives a report being prepared by engineers, architects and safety inspectors.
Mia Hammset to return
WASHINGTON -- Mia Hamm, who has not played this season while recovering from knee surgery, will return to the Washington Freedom next week for their WUSA game against the Boston Breakers.
Battle lines drawnin San Diego
SAN DIEGO -- A letter by City Attorney Casey Gwinn warned the Anschutz Entertainment Group that any contact with the San Diego Chargers could cause a significant drop in ticket sales if publicity about a possible Chargers' move to Los Angeles grows.
WORLD
Poll banned forfour years
LAUSANNE, Switzerland -- Former Olympic champion Claudia Poll of Costa Rica has been banned for four years by swimming's world governing body for a positive drugs test.
Poll, who won the 200-meter freestyle at the 1996 Atlanta Games, tested positive for the substance norandrosterone in FINA's unannounced out-of-competition control program Feb. 25.
The suspension by the FINA doping panel followed a hearing in Lausanne on May 31.
The ban can be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The ban also includes cancellation of Poll's results six months before March 26.
Vindicator staff/wire reports