Sports briefs 11/21/03

Baseball

Broadcaster Denny Matthews will be inducted into the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame during the 2004 season, the organization announced Thursday. He will be inducted on Aug. 7, 2004 at the Royals game against the Anaheim Angels.

Matthews has been behind the microphone for the Royals since the club's first game in 1969, meaning he has seen more Royals games than anyone else with the organization. He started as the number two announcer alongside Bud Blatner, then took over the number one job after the 1975 season.

The commissioner's office hopes to decide by next week whether the Montreal Expos will move 22 home games to San Juan or Monterrey in 2004.

The players' association and Major League Baseball have been negotiating a deal that would allow Expos' home games to be moved for a second straight season. The union has said Puerto Rico is its preferred destination.

College

TCU in the BCS? Southern Mississippi put an end to any debate by fighting off a frantic comeback attempt by the Horned Frogs. Dustin Almond threw for 227 yards and three touchdowns and the Golden Eagles capitalized on four turnovers to hand the 10th-ranked Horned Frogs their first loss of the season, 40-28.

Arkansas coach Houston Nutt dismissed senior linebacker Jimarr Gallon from the team Thursday after university police charged the player with driving while intoxicated and driving the wrong way on a one-way street.

Football

NFL players who used the steroid THG before the league began testing for it will avoid possible suspensions until next season.

However, players who now test positive for the previously undetectable drug will face immediate discipline, including four-game suspensions, commissioner Paul Tagliabue said Thursday in a memo to NFL clubs.

No players have tested positive for THG since random testing began Oct. 6, the league and union said. About 1,000 samples have been tested.

William Green's fiancee pleaded innocent Thursday to charges she stabbed the Cleveland Browns running back at their home.

Green was wounded under his left shoulder blade during a fight Wednesday, police said. His lawyer, Brian Downey, said the player was released from the hospital later that night after getting three stitches.

Asia Gray, who has two children with Green, was ordered held on $18,500 bond.

Tennis

Lisa Raymond easily beat Kim Clijsters' younger sister, and Martina Navratilova improved to 38-0 in Fed Cup play with a doubles victory Thursday in the United States' 4-1 semifinal defeat of Belgium.

Raymond clinched a spot in the Fed Cup finals against France by defeating Elke Clijsters 6-2, 6-1. That gave the Americans an insurmountable 3-1 edge in the best-of-five semifinal.

Raymond then teamed with Navratilova, who's 47, to defeat Clijsters and Caroline Maes 6-1, 6-4.

France beat Russia 3-2 by winning both singles matches Friday.

-- From wire reports