SPORTS DIGEST || Former Tribe analyst Hegan dies at 71

Former Tribe analyst Hegan dies at 71

CLEVELAND

Mike Hegan, a former major league player who was a longtime broadcaster with the Cleveland Indians, has died. He was 71.

The Indians say Hegan had his family by his side when he died Wednesday morning in Hilton Head, S.C. No other details were provided by the team.

Hegan was a radio and TV broadcaster for the Indians for 23 years. He retired after the 2011 season. He also spent 12 seasons as a broadcaster with the Milwaukee Brewers.

The son of former Indians catcher Jim Hegan made the AL All-Star team with the Seattle Pilots in 1969 and helped the Oakland Athletics win the 1972 World Series. He also played in the 1964 World Series with the New York Yankees. Hegan hit .242 with 53 homers and 229 RBIs in 965 career games with three organizations, getting most of his time at first base and in the outfield.

Bruins’ Thornton’s 15-game ban upheld

NEW YORK

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has upheld the 15-game suspension of Boston Bruins forward Shawn Thornton.

Thornton appealed the ban last week after he was sanctioned for punching and injuring an unsuspecting opponent against Pittsburgh on Dec. 7. He knocked Brooks Orpik’s feet from under him and landed gloved punches to his head.

Orpik was knocked unconscious and suffered a concussion. Bettman heard Thornton’s appeal at a hearing in New York last Friday. The commissioner’s decision was announced Tuesday.

Under terms of the collective bargaining agreement, Thornton will forfeit $84,615.45. Thornton and the NHL Players’ Association could still elect to appeal to a neutral arbitrator.

Ex-NBA player wants arena on Vegas Strip

LAS VEGAS

A former NBA player says he wants to build a $1.3 billion arena and hotel on the Las Vegas Strip.

Las Vegas basketball player and businessman Jackie Robinson announced the project this week. It’s tentatively called the All Net Arena and Resort, and would be built on the site of a former water park near the renovated SLS Las Vegas hotel-casino and the Fontainebleau tower.

Robinson says the project is privately funded. He says construction could begin next spring and be completed in 2016.

The 22,000-seat stadium would be the second new arena on the tourist corridor. MGM Resorts International is partnering with sports and entertainment promoter AEG on another arena on the other side of the Strip.

OHSAA looking for new officials

CANFIELD

The OHSAA is taking application for new Track and Field and Cross Country officials now through Jan. 15. Anyone interested in becoming an official should go to GYTOA.com for a detailed list of instructions on how to apply and test. There’s also a full list of mandatory rules meetings on the website.

Anyone with questions should contact BJ Duckworth at GYTOA@yahoo.com.

Registration under way for OHSAA umpires

AUSTINTOWN

Registration for anyone wanting to become a OHSAA high school softball or baseball umpire this spring has begun. Classes will be held at Austintown Fitch High School starting Jan. 16.

For more information contact John Mang at 330-502-6665 or mangtheref1965@gmail.com.

Reporting prep results

The Vindicator encourages coaches and statisticians to report prep results by email (sports@vindy.com) or fax (330-747-6712).

Phone calls (330-747-1478) are also acceptable but emails and faxes are strongly preferred. Deadline is 10:30 p.m.

Staff Reports/Associated Press