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June 30 -- Nelson asks Nowitzki for decision by Tuesday: DALLAS (AP) - The Dallas Mavericks' courting of German draft pick Dirk Nowitzki continued Monday with the team buying him a new suit and treating him to a barbecue at coach-general manager Don Nelson's home.

June 30 -- Conradt on hall election: 'It's pretty amazing': AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Jody Conradt thought about calling her mother in the small Texas town of Goldthwaite to tell her she had been elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame. Then she thought better of it.

June 30 -- ALS claims former Houston Oilers lineman Glenn Montgomery: HOUSTON (AP) - Less than a year after it was revealed he had the same lethal neuromuscular disease that killed baseball Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig, former Houston Oilers defensive lineman Glenn Montgomery has died. He was 31.

June 30 -- Success earns respect for women at racetrack: GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - When Cathleen Garner climbs aboard a racehorse, it's almost as if she alters her genetic structure. A conglomeration of X-chromosomes no more, Garner is a jockey on a horse competing against eight or 10 other jockeys on horses - jockeys who more often than not are male.

June 30 -- Stephenville rodeo performer wins at Reno: RENO, Nevada (AP) - Texas rodeo performer Ty Murray continued his quest for another all-around world title with victories at the Reno Rodeo.

June 29 -- North defeats South in Texas High School Baseball Coaches All-Star Game: ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Nathan Hasten of Lewisville retired all six batters he faced Saturday night and picked up the win as the North beat the South 9-5 in the Texas High School Baseball Coaches All-Star Game.

June 29 -- Astros 12, Indians 3: CLEVELAND (AP) -- The Houston Astros marched around Jacobs Field as if it were their own.

June 29 -- Preacher's immersion leads to winning lunker: DALLAS -- Warren Whitaker will be the first to admit he cannot walk on water. To suggest otherwise would be blasphemy for a Southern Baptist preacher. Like several earlier followers of Jesus, Whitaker is a fisherman.

June 29 -- Giants 7, Rangers 0: SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Last June, Mark Gardner was the winning pitcher in the first interleague game ever as San Francisco beat Texas. On Sunday, he once again had his way with the Rangers.

June 29 -- Mavericks arrange dinner date for Nowitzki, future teammates: DALLAS -- The Mavericks and top draft pick Dirk Nowitzki are in agreement about the last major hurdle that must be cleared before the German sensation commits to play in the NBA next season.

June 28 -- Astros 9, Indians 5, 11 innings: CLEVELAND (AP) -- Cleveland-killer Moises Alou hit an RBI single in the 11th off Jose Mesa, and Carl Everett followed with a three-run homer as the Houston Astros beat the Indians 9-5 on Saturday.

June 28 -- Grand jury drops charges against Stars' Zubov: DALLAS (AP) -- A Dallas grand jury has declined to indict Dallas Stars' hockey player Sergei Zubov on charges of assaulting his wife.

June 28 -- Comets assistant Gillom named to head Texas A&M women's squad: COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) -- Houston Comets assistant coach Peggie Gillom has been named head coach of the Texas A&M women's basketball program.

June 28 -- Burn 4, Revolution 3, SO: FOXBORO, Mass. (AP) -- The Dallas Burn twice overcame two-goal deficits then beat the New England Revolution in a shootout to cap a 4-3 victory Saturday night.

June 28 -- Nowitzki will visit Dallas, but he may stay home for two years: The Dallas Mavericks have persuaded first-round draft pick Dirk Nowitzki of Germany to come to Dallas.

June 28 -- Giants 6, Rangers 5, 10 innings: SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Playing defense has never been easy at San Francisco. Still, Texas Rangers manager Johnny Oates was not about to blame the environment for his team's mistakes Saturday.

June 28 -- Comets 75, Sparks 64: HOUSTON (AP) -- Cynthia Cooper had five 3-pointers and scored 28 points to lead the Houston Comets to a 75-64 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday.

June 27 -- Watchman says he was given the night off when horse was injured: HOUSTON (AP) -- A night watchman at Kentucky's famed Calumet Farm says he was urged to take the night off when Alydar, the most heavily insured racehorse in history, suffered a fatal injury.

June 27 -- Barkley fined, writes letter of apology to settle charges: ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Charles Barkley was fined Friday and ordered to make community service visits to two children's programs to settle charges filed after he was accused of throwing a bar patron into a mirror.

June 27 -- Turkcan ready to play NBA style basketball: HOUSTON (AP) -- Mirsad Turkcan, the first Turkish player drafted into the NBA, won't have any trouble finding a good shish kebob or a bowl of Turkish beans and rice in America.

June 27 -- Proven pitchers nearly impossible to obtain: ARLINGTON, Texas -- Those who don't understand the market for pitching in the major leagues wonder why the nouveau riche Rangers, now owned by Tom Hicks, don't just "spend the money" to acquire Roger Clemens.

June 26 -- Stars hire head coach for affiliate team: DALLAS (AP) -- Fort Worth Brahmas head coach Bill McDonald has signed a two-year contract as the new head coach of the Michigan K-Wings Dallas Stars General Manager Bob Gainey announced Thursday.

June 26 -- San Antonio gets Final Four in 2004: SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- The city of San Antonio has been chosen to host the Final Four men's basketball championship in 2004.

June 26 -- Present heat, dry spell no threat yet to wildlife: HOUSTON -- This Texas spring was drier than ever, and when April ended the weather went directly to August without stopping at May, June or July. The state has suffered a month liberally sprinkled with triple-digit temperatures, still little or no rain, and not much prospect of anything appreciable unless something ugly boils out of the Gulf.

June 26 -- Tagliabue may not visit Houston unless stadium deal is worked out: HOUSTON (AP) -- National Football League Commissioner Paul Tagliabue may not visit Houston next Monday unless local officials finalize a stadium financing plan, according to a published report.

June 26 -- Don Nelson to recruit German draft pick: DALLAS (AP) -- Don Nelson, coach and general manager of the Dallas Mavericks, left for Germany on Thursday to finish what he started in the first round of the NBA draft.

June 26 -- Acuff's unlikely second career as team radio voice finally rewarded: SAN ANTONIO -- Missions players shook and squirted bottles of champagne in the dark, dank visitors clubhouse at Shreveport's Fair Grounds Field, celebrating a victory in Game 7 of the Texas League Championship Series in September.

June 26 -- Lee Smith to spend three games with Class AA team before Astros decide: JACKSON, Miss. (AP) -- Future Hall of Famer Lee Smith, the major league's career saves leader, will join the Class AA Jackson Generals for three Texas League games this weekend in Shreveport, La.

June 26 -- Tamika Catchings overcomes hearing disability: Tamika Catchings quit wearing a hearing aid so she wouldn't hear the jokes about her disability. Now she's wearing one again, and she can hear more clearly the cheers her ability elicits.

June 25 -- Football players reinstated in SWT case: SAN MARCOS, Texas (AP) -- Three student athletes who were suspended from the Southwest Texas State University football team after allegations of sexual assault have been reinstated.

June 25 -- Testimony begins in former groom's trial over racehorse death: HOUSTON (AP) -- A grand jury foreman investigating the death of the most heavily insured racehorse in history testified Wednesday that Alydar's demise seemed fishy because of his owners' debt and a $36 million insurance policy on the thoroughbred's head.

June 25 -- A rite of Texas summer unfolds this week: SAN ANTONIO -- It's a rite of summer in Texas, ranking with popping firecrackers on the Fourth of July and tall cold pitchers of sweetened ice tea after a long dusty day mowing lawns.

June 24 -- Jury selected in former groom's trial in case involving racehorse death: HOUSTON (AP) -- After years of speculation, federal jurors this week get a peek into the events that led to the mysterious demise of Alydar, the most heavily insured thoroughbred in history, and how the stallion's death helped topple Kentucky's fabled Calumet Farm.

June 24 -- Tredaway takes baseball career south of border: MERIDA, Mexico -- The San Diego Padres threw Chad Tredaway a curve in spring training when they asked him to go south of the border to play for the Yucatan Leones of the Mexican League.

June 24 -- Mavericks guard feels camp can turn kids around: OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- Dallas Mavericks guard Erick Strickland said he's tired of seeing bad things happen to youngsters and he wants to help increase their self-esteem.

June 24 -- NBA draft: Mavericks, Rockets, Spurs have different needs: Of Texas' three NBA teams, only the Dallas Mavericks are in position to get an impact player in Wednesday's annual draft.

June 24 -- Two Texas universities honored for athletes' graduation rates: WACO, Texas (AP) -- Northwestern University, which had all 20 members of its class of 1997 earn a degree, was named the recipient of the 1998 Academic Achievement Award from the American Football Coaches Association on Tuesday.

June 23 -- Spurs' draft day more low-key a year after getting No. 1 pick Duncan: SAN ANTONIO (AP) - More suspense and less celebration await the San Antonio Spurs in the upcoming NBA draft. One year after jubilantly selecting Tim Duncan with the No. 1 overall pick, the Spurs are quietly scouting low first-round players in hopes of finding a perimeter shooter with promise.

June 23 -- Rangers send Witt to St. Louis: ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Bobby Witt, the second-winingest pitcher in Texas Rangers history, was traded to St. Louis Monday for a player to be named later.

June 23 -- McGwire chase eclipsing power surge in Texas: Mark McGwire's pursuit of Roger Maris' 61 homers is turning a reluctant Big Mac into another Michael Jordan, dwarfing all other life forms. Mac Mania is the summer replacement for Jordan Rules, assuming Mark's colossal yet oddly fragile frame remains functional.

June 23 -- Jordan in Texas: Teammates may hold key to his return: AUSTIN - As Phil Jackson was cleaning out his office and leaving as coach of the Chicago Bulls Monday, Michael Jordan sounded like a man who wanted to keep playing basketball - as long as the Bulls don't change much more.

June 22 -- Sports tycoon's dealings with Dallas officials raises questions: DALLAS (AP) - A local television sports show recently asked: Does Tom Hicks own Dallas? While the show didn't provide any answers, it gave voice to a thought on the minds of some local residents after a series of recent events involving the wealthy financier.

June 22 -- Football legend Walker fights biggest battle: DENVER (AP) - Little feeling remains in the hands that cradled the football during dozens of breathtaking scoring runs. The legs that dashed past defenders en route to the Heisman Trophy and two NFL titles lie motionless.

June 21 -- 'The Dream' teamed with 'Air?' It nearly happened: DALLAS -- For a brief moment Saturday afternoon, Houston Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon allowed himself to wonder how different his career would have turned out had Michael Jordan been his teammate.

June 21 -- Rockets looking to replace aging stars in upcoming draft: HOUSTON (AP) -- The Houston Rockets are down to two superstars for next season.

June 21 -- Thriving jockey event sparks new ideas: GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas -- By almost every yardstick, Friday night's NTRA All-Star Jockey Championship was again a rousing success.

June 20 -- Penders takes parting shot at UT athletic director: AUSTIN (AP) -- Tom Penders, who resigned under fire as basketball coach at Texas in April, took a parting shot at Longhorns Athletic Director DeLoss Dodds after accepting the head job at George Washington University.

June 20 -- Texas chancellor has free country club membership with potential stadium contractor: AUSTIN (AP) -- University of Texas Chancellor William Cunningham has a free country club membership through a company negotiating with UT to run a private club in the school's expanding football stadium.

June 20 -- Jockey Hawley closes career a survivor: GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas -- Sandy Hawley has a date Friday night in Lone Star Park's NTRA All-Star Jockey Championship.

June 20 -- All-Star jockey championship features humans -- not horses: GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas -- The best jockeys in the United States typically congregate only at the Kentucky Derby, and occasionally at the Breeders' Cup Classic.

June 20 -- Van Poppel has big day Saturday at Anaheim: ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Todd Van Poppel has climbed his way back into the major leagues and wants to prove he deserves to stay this time.

June 19 -- All-Star jockeys gather at Lone Star: GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas (AP) -- Corey Johnson's idea of an All-Star Jockey Championship has made Lone Star Park the envy of other tracks and given jockeys something they can call their own.

June 19 -- Boy, 7, finds success on motocross track: McALLEN, Texas -- Ricky Garcia knows the routine by heart.

June 19 -- Penders starts run as GW coach: WASHINGTON (AP) -- New George Washington University coach Tom Penders said Thursday he will spend the next few days putting his coaching staff together.

June 19 -- Stars sign Sim, center was drafted in '96: DALLAS (AP) -- The Dallas Stars on Thursday signed center Jon Sim, their third-round draft pick in 1996.

June 18 -- Burrell to lead University of Houston track team: HOUSTON (AP) -- Former Olympic champion and world record-holding sprinter Leroy Burrell was named the fourth track and field coach in University of Houston history Wednesday.

June 18 -- Copycat golf course sues copycatters: HOUSTON (AP) -- The Houston-area golf course that successfully defended in court its right to replicate some of the country's most renowned holes has turned the tables, suing a company that plans a similar copycat concept.

June 18 -- Ex-batboy Grieve returns as major league hitter: ARLINGTON, Texas -- Ben Grieve came home Tuesday. He stayed with his parents to get better food than A.J. Hinch, his roommate and teammate, provides in Oakland.

June 18 -- Penders says focus on TV, not coaching: AUSTIN (AP) -- Former University of Texas basketball coach Tom Penders, one of two finalists for the head coaching job at George Washington University, says he doesn't consider himself a candidate for the post "at this moment," the Austin American-Statesman reported Wednesday.

June 18 -- Bush earns $14.9 million from team sale: AUSTIN (AP) -- Gov. George W. Bush, who bought in as a managing partner of the Texas Rangers for just more than $600,000, received $14.9 million from the sale of the baseball team, the club's president announced Wednesday.

June 18 -- TCU player arrested in car burglary case: FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- Texas Christian linebacker Marvin Leslie Mullins has been arrested on a charge of suspicion of burglary of a vehicle.

June 18 -- Cheerleading, rodeo rejected as possible UIL sports: AUSTIN (AP) -- The state known for the Kilgore Rangerettes and the Texas Cheerleader Hitmom wants nothing to do with cheerleading and drill team as high school sports.

June 17 -- Mike Campbell, Royal assistant, dies at 76: AUSTIN (AP) -- Mike Campbell, an assistant coach for Darrell Royal at the University of Texas, died early Tuesday from complications of lymphoma. He was 76.

June 17 -- Baseball fans go to great lengths to snag coveted souvenir: ARLINGTON, Texas -- Oh, the things baseball fans go through to get a free game souvenir: falling out of the stands; stumbling over rows of seats; knocking over a 10-year-old just to have something to brag about.

June 17 -- Verbeek has bone spurs removed: DALLAS (AP) -- Dallas Stars right wing Pat Verbeek underwent arthroscopic surgery Tuesday to remove bone spurs from his right elbow. He's expected to recover in time for the start of training camp in September.

June 17 -- Indoor soccer great Tatu to also coach Sidekicks: DALLAS (AP) -- Tatu, the five-time indoor soccer scoring champion and seven-time league MVP, is adding coaching to his list of duties with the Dallas Sidekicks.

June 17 -- Committee to study possible changes in football playoffs: AUSTIN (AP) -- The University Interscholastic League and coaches seem to agree that the football playoff system could be improved.

June 16 -- Astros 13, Reds 2: CINCINNATI - Derek Bell drove in three runs with a pair of doubles and Jeff Bagwell hit a two-run homer Monday night as the Houston Astros finished a successful road trip with a 13-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

June 16 -- Illyina, Wistrom, named Big 12 Athletes of the Year: DALLAS (AP) - Texas diving champion Vera Illyina and All-America defensive lineman Grant Wistrom of Nebraska were named Big 12 Athletes of the Year on Monday.

June 15 -- De La Hoya is the lone star in El Paso: EL PASO - They were just beginning to clean up the Sun Bowl, and Oscar De La Hoya already was in his custom bus, heading down the highway toward his Los Angeles home.

June 15 -- Rangers beat Angels, 4-2: ARLINGTON (AP) - With Rick Helling in full control, the Texas Rangers found a way to beat the streaking Anaheim Angels.

June 14 -- Mack attack pleasing the burnt orange world: DALLAS (AP) -- Rooster Andrews goes back so far he can remember drop-kicking extra points for the Texas Longhorns with a football resembling the shape of a pumpkin.

June 14 -- Threat of falling lights forces 30-minute evacuation in El Paso: EL PASO, Texas (AP) -- Gusty wind that threatened to collapse light banks above the ring forced the hasty evacuation of the ringside area Saturday night during the undercard of the Oscar De La Hoya-Patrick Charpentier fight at the Sun Bowl.

June 14 -- Town goes wild over boxing's golden boy: EL PASO, Texas (AP) -- When a party lasts a week, you'd think it would eventually run out of steam.

June 14 -- Comets 73, Liberty 62: HOUSTON (AP) -- Sheryl Swoopes scored a career-high 28 points and proved she can play alongside Cynthia Cooper, leading the Houston Comets to a 73-62 victory over the New York Liberty on Saturday in a rematch of the inaugural WNBA championship game.

June 14 -- Texas catcher sidelined by sprained ankle: ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Six-time Gold Glove catcher Ivan Rodriguez will be lost to the Texas Rangers for the next 3-5 games because of a sprained left ankle.

June 14 -- Colonial embracing Texas, Fort Worth in bid to capture 2003 Ryder Cup: FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- Question: What's Billy Bob's monster honky tonk got to do with Fort Worth's zoo, TCU's football stadium, Ross Perot Jr.'s airport, the Cultural District's glittering museums and the renowned Hogan's Alley?

June 14 -- Texas parents make commitment to select sports teams: AUSTIN -- On soccer pitches from South Austin to Round Rock, hundreds of players as young as 10 years old have been auditioning to become members of select teams.

June 14 -- Klein claims 5A title behind strong pitching: AUSTIN (AP) -- Klein baseball players dyed their hair blond in the playoffs to show they were together as a team -- all except senior pitcher Chris George, who was worried what pro teams would think of him heading into last week's amateur draft.

June 13 -- Olajuwon wants to retire a Rocket: HOUSTON (AP) -- Houston Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon is applauding management for trying to make the team younger and wants to be a part of the youth movement.

June 13 -- Pudge picks up endorsement contract: ARLINGTON -- Texas Rangers All-Star Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez's off-field opportunities haven't measured up to his rising stature on the field.

June 13 -- No indictments in SWT case: SAN MARCOS, Texas (AP) -- After a grand jury found insufficient evidence to charge three Southwest Texas State University football players with sexual assault, some blame the news media for heightened racial tensions stirred up on campus by the case.

June 13 -- De La Hoya on a mission to revive boxing: EL PASO, Texas (AP) -- Oscar De La Hoya won four championships and became a multimillionaire before he was 25. Now he has a more lofty goal -- resurrecting the sport of boxing.

June 13 -- Report: Houston businessman looking to buy piece of Vikings: HOUSTON (AP) -- Houston businessman Bob McNair, who has been trying to return pro football to the nation's fourth-largest city, is discussing purchasing a piece of the Minnesota Vikings, a Houston television station is reporting.

June 13 -- A changed Lovell Pinkney has a new football Arena: AUSTIN -- In August 1997 Lovell Pinkney was competing for a roster spot with the then-Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers when he decided he didn't want to be in De Pere, Wis.

June 13 -- Round Rock adopts stadium finance plan; Hall of Fame pondered: ROUND ROCK, Texas (AP) -- The city of Round Rock has taken the first formal steps toward bringing a minor league baseball team to town, adopting a financing plan for the stadium and hiring an architect to design it.

June 12 -- Oscarmania runs rampant in El Paso for Saturday night fight: EL PASO, Texas (AP) -- Hundreds of young women shrieked his name as he arrived at the airport. Hundreds more waited in the desert heat outside a press conference just to get a glimpse of him.

June 12 -- Oscar De La Hoya is a big hit in El Paso; just ask the women: EL PASO, Tex. -- Three thousand Shriners are here. A restaurant is offering an all-you-can-eat SPAM dinner for $4.95. And it's uniform pickup time for the McDonald's summer basketball league.

June 12 -- This fan has Nolan Ryan on film -- a chest X-ray: CLEBURNE, Texas (AP) -- Autographed baseballs, bats and gloves aren't enough for the serious Nolan Ryan collector. Avid collectors, like John Livingston, look for extraordinary memorabilia -- like a chest X-ray.

June 12 -- Team gets fifth owner since move to Texas: ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Now signing paychecks for the Texas Rangers: Tom Hicks.

June 12 -- Hitchcock knows job security rare in fickle NHL: DALLAS -- A year ago, when Buffalo's Ted Nolan was named coach of the year at the league's awards dinner in Toronto, he said he had no speech prepared. He was that sure that Ken Hitchcock was going to win.

June 12 -- UIL Tournament notes: AUSTIN (AP) -- In a regular-season tournament game, Class 5A Klein defeated state tourney semifinal opponent Austin Westlake 10-0 as the Bearkats star pitcher Chris George, taken 31st overall by the Kansas City Royals in last week's amateur draft, gave up just one hit.

June 11 -- Swoopes returns to practice after meeting: HOUSTON (AP) -- After missing two practices, Sheryl Swoopes met with Houston Comets coach Van Chancellor on Wednesday and apologized for not informing him of her reasons for her unexcused absences.

June 11 -- Rangers sale approved by ownership committee: SEATTLE (AP) -- The ownership committee of the baseball owners, as expected, approved the sale of the Texas Rangers on Wednesday to media mogul Tom Hicks for $250 million. Bush not sure what to do with profits from Rangers sale

June 11 -- Star pitcher leads Klein to state tournament: AUSTIN (AP) -- When the state baseball tournament kicks off Thursday, fans will get to see the pitcher many say is a younger version of Atlanta Braves Cy Young Award winner Tom Glavine.

June 10 -- Rangers' sale to get OK by owners: SEATTLE (AP) -- Media mogul Tom Hicks appears set as the new owner of the Texas Rangers, and Don Smiley's bid to buy the Florida Marlins from Wayne Huizenga might be in trouble.

June 10 -- Texas leaguer Tom Hicks a major player: SEATTLE -- There's little doubt that Tom Hicks, expected to be approved this week as new owner of the Texas Rangers, is a major-league mover and shaker.

June 10 -- North Texas racer winning with modified Mustang: BELLS, Texas -- Doug Mangrum is, to use a drag racing expression, hooked up.

June 10 -- Willis taking second chance to play in Canada: HOUSTON (AP) -- Houston Rockets forward Kevin Willis, almost traded to Toronto last February, finally became a Raptor in a trade for the 16th and 18th picks in the June 24 draft and a third player, the player's agent confirmed Tuesday.

June 10 -- Belfour and Muni undergo surgery: DALLAS (AP) -- Dallas Stars goaltender Ed Belfour and defenseman Craig Muni each underwent arthroscopic procedures on Tuesday.

June 8 -- Texas Sports Digest: Astros sign career saves leader to minor league contract ... Dallas upsets United in shootout ... Stars' player Zubov arrested, accused of assaulting wife

June 7 -- Winning pole eases Indy sting for Stewart: FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- A last-place finish in the Indianapolis 500 still stings Tony Stewart, but winning the pole for Saturday night's True Value 500K helped ease the pain.

June 7 -- WNBA '98: Svelte Swoopes ready to join title defense: HOUSTON (AP) -- Sheryl Swoopes has spent the past year trying to become a super mom. Now it's time to get back to being a superstar for the WNBA champion Houston Comets.

June 7 -- Stars go out with new reputation: legitimate Stanley Cup contender: DALLAS (AP) -- Down and out of the playoffs in Detroit, the Dallas Stars can look back on a breakthrough season and ahead to a new reputation next year -- a legitimate contender for the Stanley Cup.

June 7 -- Stars join list of regular-season champions faltering in playoffs: DETROIT (AP) -- After winning the Presidents' Trophy in the regular season, the Dallas Stars came up empty-handed in the post-season.

June 7 -- Texas has a way of producing pitching phenoms for the majors: SPRING -- Somebody alert the tabloids. They are cloning pitchers in Texas.June 6 -- Texas-bred Thomas Jo sprinting toward Belmont: DALLAS -- As Texas-bred thoroughbred Thomas Jo prepares for Saturday's Belmont in New York, his namesakes are pinching themselves with joy.

June 6 -- Two trophy-holders, one reigning champ return for True Value 500K: FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- There were two championship trophies awarded for the inaugural True Value 500K last year.

June 6 -- Team change puts once-in-limbo John Paul Jr. in secure seat: FORT WORTH, Texas -- Indy-car veteran John Paul Jr. is racing with job security at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend.

June 6 -- Reconfigured TMS is 'smooth': FORT WORTH, Texas -- Texas Motor Speedway fostered high speeds and even higher praise from NASCAR Craftsman Truck and Indy Racing League drivers on Thursday in its first test since a $2 million renovation that included a newly paved track and a reconstruction of troubling Turn 4.

June 6 -- TMS faster despite rainstorm: FORT WORTH, Texas -- The reconfigured Texas Motor Speedway is fast, according to the speeds run by Indy Racing League and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series drivers during practice sessions on Thursday.

June 5 -- Stars coach finds new life out of darkness of troubled youth: COPPELL, Texas -- On a summerlike afternoon, Ken Hitchcock sits placidly at his home on the patio overlooking the sparkling pool and the small neighborhood lake beyond, and once again feels the chill bumps crawl up his spine.

June 5 -- Pete Incaviglia trying to play back into majors: METAIRIE, La. (AP) -- Whether Zephyr Field is the end of the road for Pete Incaviglia or the route back to the major leagues remains to be seen.

June 5 -- Interleague play hasn't produced intrastate rivalry: HOUSTON (AP) -- The creation of interleague play should've brought the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros together to battle for state bragging rights just like the Texas A&M Aggies and the Texas Longhorns do.

June 5 -- Osgood gets mad, vows to get even: DETROIT (AP) -- First get mad, then get even.

June 4 -- So you think you know your hockey lingo?: DALLAS -- So you think you are up on your hockey lingo just because you know what icing is. Whoopee.

June 4 -- Pro baseball's gain could be Texas A&M football's loss: BEAUMONT, Texas (AP) -- Texas A&M quarterback prospect Chip Ambres says he's leaning toward a full-time professional baseball career, leaving the Aggies thankful they had a contingency plan.

June 4 -- De La Hoya focused, healthy heading into first fight of '98: EL PASO, Texas (AP) -- After six months off to rest and heal, WBC welterweight champion Oscar De La Hoya said Wednesday he is approaching his first fight of the year with renewed focus and dedication.

June 3 -- Detroit makes mistake-prone Dallas pay: DALLAS (AP) -- The Detroit Red Wings know the best thing the Dallas Stars have going for them is their doggedness.

June 3 -- Trucks give drivers chance to pick up attention: FORT WORTH, Texas -- Jack Sprague won the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points title last season. He is leading this year.

June 2 -- Stars hope some of the Red Wings' luck rubs off on them: DALLAS (AP) - Ed Belfour is a tough man to convince. He thinks the Detroit Red Wings should be thankful for their 3-to-1 edge over Dallas in the Western Conference finals.

June 2 -- Retama's leading jockey got his start in Texas rodeo: SAN ANTONIO - There aren't many more things in sports with as much risk of bodily damage as being a jockey at a horse track. The potential for a life-threatening accident waits around every turn, down every stretch.

June 2 -- Coaches name Rice's Thames as player of year: OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Damon Thames of Rice was named college baseball's player of the year Monday by the American Baseball Coaches Association.

June 2 -- Texas Sports Digest: Remaining WAC schools vow to go on ... TCU SID leaves

June 1 -- Stars lose to Red Wings; now down 3-1 in playoffs: DETROIT - The "Vladinator" was back in the house. And the Detroit Red Wings were one victory away from the Stanley Cup Finals. With injured defenseman Vladimir Konstantinov watching from a private suite, Vyacheslav Kozlov broke a tie at 11:30 of the third period, lifting the Red Wings to a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars on Sunday in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.