Earnheardt to speak at Curbstone Coaches

Earnheardt to speak at Curbstone Coaches

AUSTINTOWN

Dr. Adam C. Earnheardt, the chair and associate professor of the Department of Communications at Youngstown State University, will be the guest speaker on Monday at the weekly luncheon of The Curbstone Coaches at Lucianno’s Banquet Center in the Wedgewood Plaza.

The event begins at noon and is open to the public.

Santa pelted with snow at ’68 Eagles game, dies

PHILADELPHIA

The man famed in Philadelphia sports history as the Santa Claus who was booed and plunked with snowballs at an Eagles game on a winter day in 1968 has died.

Frank Olivo’s family says he died early Thursday at a suburban Philadelphia hospital after a long battle with heart disease, diabetes and other ailments. He was 66.

Olivo was filling in for a snowbound Santa when he was jeered and pelted with snowballs while going down the field to the tune of “Here Comes Santa Claus.”

Olivo’s cousin Richard Monastra said Olivo took it in stride, even telling one nearby fan who hit him squarely with a snowball that he could expect coal in his stocking that Christmas morning.

And far from minding his moment in city sports history, Monastra says Olivo “gloried in it.”

Private Zone wins Churchill Downs Stakes

LOUISVILLE, Ky.

Private Zone was the front-running winner in the $500,000 Churchill Downs Stakes as Bayern faded badly Saturday in his season debut.

Many in the record crowd of 170,513 at Churchill Downs expected a victorious return for Bayern, the 4-5 favorite making his first start since winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita in November.

Bayern, trained by Bob Baffert, wound up sixth.

Private Zone who grabbed the lead early and powered to a 4 1-4 length victory over Nates Mineshaft.

The second choice at 5-2, Private Zone raced to his eighth win in 27 starts. The 6-year-old, ridden by Martin Pedroza and trained by Jorge Navarro, improved $7.40 to win.

The winner ran seven furlongs in 1:22.54.

Espindola goal, assist sparks DC United’s win

WASHINGTON

Fabian Espindola had a goal and an assist in D.C. United’s 2-0 win over the Columbus Crew on Saturday night, moving them into a tie for first place in the MLS.

Espindola opened the scoring in the 15th minute, finishing Chris Rolfe’s end-to-end break with a left-footed shot past Crew goalkeeper Steve Clark. Sean Franklin volleyed home Espindola’s corner kick in the 41st minute to make it 2-0.

United (5-1-2) won their second straight game, extending their unbeaten streak to six. It’s the best eight-game start in franchise history.

Federico Higuain narrowly missed a header in the 53rd minute for the Crew (3-3-2), who had a four-game unbeaten streak snapped.

Bill Hamid recorded his fourth shutout in six starts. It was his first action since suffering a thigh injury April 11.

ARCA driver Smith has surgery on both ankles

TALLADEGA, Ala.

ARCA driver Brad Smith underwent surgery on both of his ankles following a crash at Talladega Superspeedway.

Smith was injured late in Friday’s race when another car spun in front of him. He tried to drive through the accident scene but struck the other car, and the contact sent him directly into an inside wall.

Smith eventually was able to climb from his car and limp to an ambulance, but he was taken to UAB Medical Center in Birmingham for treatment.

ARCA officials said Saturday that Smith is awake, alert and in stable condition.

The 46-year-old from Shelby Township, Michigan, has raced in the ARCA Series since 1988.

Staff/wire reports