Staff/Wire reports

The Southern Ohio PGA Hall of Fame Committee announced the 2004 Legacy Championship will pay tribute to the late Cincinnatian Johnny Fischer, who won the 1936 U.S. Amateur at the Garden City (N.Y.) Golf Club.

The Legacy Award is part of a multi-level program that includes the Legacy Championship Monday at Kenwood Country Club.

Fischer, a former caddie at Western Hills Country Club, won the 1927 City Caddie and Junior Metropolitan championships and the 1928 Ohio High School Championship. He won the 1930 Cincinnati Metropolitan Amateur Championship after being a semifinalist in '29.

The Legacy Award was created to supplement the SOPGA Hall of Fame. The Legacy Award presentation will be in conjunction with the SOPGA Awards Dinner in November.

SOPGA Legacy Award past honorees: Tommy Bryant; Pete Brown and Joe Thomas (co-winners); and Scioto Country Club, host of the 1931 Ryder Cup and 1950 PGA Championship.

--Jack Murray

Williams acquitted of manslaughter

Former NBA All-Star Jayson Williams was acquitted of aggravated manslaughter in the shooting death of a limousine driver. The jury couldn't decide on the lesser charge of reckless manslaughter and convicted him of four counts related to an attempted coverup of the shooting. Williams, 36, was found guilty of witness and evidence tampering, evidence fabrication and hindering apprehension for his actions after the shooting death of 55-year-old Costas "Gus" Christofi on Feb. 14, 2002, at Williams' mansion. Williams faces a maximum of 13 years in prison. "He didn't have the look of the cold-blooded killer," juror Angela Pravata, 37, told reporters outside the Somerset County Courthouse in Somerville, N.J. "I didn't see it in his eyes." Superior Court Judge Edward Coleman said he'll hold a hearing May 21 to determine whether the prosecution will try Williams again on the reckless manslaughter charge.

What's in a name?

It's clear what's in a name when it comes to championship thoroughbreds. Secretariat. Citation. War Admiral. Man o War. Would they have won if they were called Gasoline Guzzler or Fred Flintstone? "You want to have a good name, something with a ring to it when it's coming down the stretch," said Steve Cauthen, who rode Affirmed to the Triple Crown in 1978. Claiborne Farm tends to use short, one-word names; it won the 1984 Derby with Swale and raced such major winners as Lure, Roar and Mighty. Arkansas-based Loblolly Stable's names come from nearby towns, including Preakness winners Pine Bluff and Prairie Bayou. "Usually, there's no rhyme or reason to it," Cauthen said. "It's just something that pops in your head."

WEDDING MEDALIST: Gabby Wedding, former Enquirer prep golfer of the year from Wilmington, will lead Kent State to the NCAA Central Regional at Normal, Ill., after winning medalist honors by nine strokes at the Mid-American Conference Championships April 25 at Walden Pond Golf Club.

XAVIER GOLF: The Musketeers are second after one round of its defense of the Atlantic 10 Conference championship at Newport, R.I. XU fired a 9-over-par 297, three behind Rhode Island.

PGA TOUR: Defending champion Steve Flesch of Union, Ky., was one stroke off the lead at 5-under par through 14 holes at the HP Classic in New Orleans.

Flesch and 74 others failed to complete their first round because of rain Thursday and Friday. The weather left Gene Sauers and Paul Azinger atop the leaderboard with 6-under 66s.

Play is scheduled to resume early today. After the opening round is completed, officials hope to begin the second round at about 8:15 a.m., with the possibility of playing 36 holes Sunday or the tournament running over into Monday.

LPGA TOUR: Aree Song, who turns 18 today, shot a 6-under 66 and shared the lead at the midway point of the Chick-fil-A Charity Championship in Stockbridge, Ga., with Lorie Kane. Kane made birdies on three of her last five holes in a 68 for a 9-under 135 total.

CHAMPIONS TOUR: Bruce Fleisher shot an 8-under 64 Friday and held a two-stroke lead over Lonnie Nielsen after the first round of the Bruno's Memorial Classic in Hoover, Ala.

High schools

COLLEGE SIGNINGS: Hughes football players Mark Knott (outside linebacker) and Jameel Peeples (defensive lineman) both have committed to Cumberland College.

Roger Bacon football receiver Sean McCoy has committed to Mount St. Joseph.

Three St. Xavier baseball players have committed: J.T. Imming (Dayton), Noah Lankford (Central Michigan) and Sean Quinn (Lincoln Memorial, Tenn.).

Soccer

PLAYER MOURNED: University of Nebraska junior co-captain Jenna Cooper, 21, who was fatally shot early Sunday at a party celebrating the end of soccer season, was remembered Friday in her hometown of Louisville.

Elsewhere

MARADONA GOLFING: Diego Maradona played golf on a secluded country estate in Buenos Aires, a day after ending a 12-day hospital stay for heart and lung problems.

C-USA ADDS UTEP: After 36 years in the Western Athletic Conference, Texas-El Paso accepted an offer to join Conference USA.