Wednesday's Sports In Brief

By The Associated Press

Here's a look at Wednesday's sports in brief around the world.

BASEBALL

NEW YORK (AP) — Black players accounted for 10.2 percent of major leaguers last year, the most since the 1995 season.

The sport had reached an all-time low of 8.2 percent in 2007, according to Richard Lapchick, director of the University of Central Florida’s Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports. The percentage of black pitchers rose to 5 percent from 3 percent and the percentage of black infielders went up to 9 percent from 7 percent.

Baseball received an A for race hiring for the first time in his annual report, up from an A- last year. Lapchick cited 10 minority managers at the start of this season, matching the previous high in 2002. There were five African-Americans, four Latinos and one Asian-American.

There were five minority GMs: three African-Americans and two Latinos.

The sport got a B for gender hiring, up from a C+. Its overall grade went up to B+ from B.

BASKETBALL

MIAMI (AP) — Isiah Thomas’ introduction as Florida International coach included the revelation that the former New York Knicks coach and president — who’s still owed millions from the NBA team — will donate his salary back to the school for his first season. School officials did not release the exact figure, other than saying it’s between $200,000 and $300,000.

Thomas’ gesture is likely an attempt at rebuilding a Hall of Fame image that was badly tarnished over the last couple years.

During his time in New York, Thomas endured legal and personal troubles off the court, and more losses than wins on it. His Knicks were 23-59 a season ago. New York never won a playoff game in his tenure as president or coach, and many of his moves didn’t work out as planned.

In 2007, a jury ordered Knicks owner Madison Square Garden to pay $11.6 million to a former team executive who alleged she was sexually harassed by Thomas, who continually maintained his innocence and was never found personally liable.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Notre Dame coach Mike Brey indicated forward Luke Harangody will announce Thursday that he will put his name in for the NBA draft, but keep open the option of returning for a senior season.

Harangody, who averaged 23.3 points and 11.8 rebounds last season, would be the fourth Irish player to put his name in the draft in nine years under Brey. In 2001, Troy Murphy decided to keep his name in and was picked 14th by the Golden State Warriors. Chris Thomas in 2003 and Torin Francis in 2005 both opted to return. Neither was drafted.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Notre Dame football coach Charlie Weis confirms he talked with his family about whether they thought he should quit after last season, though he said he never wanted to leave.

The comments were in response to a story in the Chicago Tribune on Sunday. The newspaper reported Weis thought about leaving Notre Dame and returning to the NFL as an offensive coordinator. Weis said he never thought he wouldn’t return.

Following a 38-3 loss to USC in the regular-season finale, athletic director Jack Swarbrick took several days before announcing that Weis would return as coach. Swarbrick said he decided to allow Weis to return for a fifth season because they agreed on what steps need to be taken to restore Notre Dame to prominence.

Weis, who has a 29-21 record in four years at Notre Dame after the Irish posted a 7-6 record last season, said he wants the job now for the same reason he took it when he was hired following the 2004 season.

ATHLETICS

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — Former Olympic 100-meter champion Justin Gatlin is finalizing an out-of-court agreement with the U.S. Olympic Committee, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, USA Track & Field and the International Association of Athletics Federations.

Gatlin had sued those groups in federal court, saying his rights were violated under the Americans with Disabilities Act. He said he was discriminated against because his first of two doping violations, in 2001, was for taking prescribed medication to treat attention deficit disorder.

Because that penalty was on the books, his second violation, in 2006, triggered a suspension that kept him from defending his 2004 Olympic gold medal at the Beijing Games. In June 2008, the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected Gatlin’s appeal of his doping ban, and he took the matter to U.S. court.

HOCKEY

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Craig MacTavish was fired as coach of the Edmonton Oilers after they failed to make the playoffs for the third straight year.

The ouster came on the same day the NHL playoffs began, and general manager Steve Tambellini said the team needed a fresh look behind the bench.

The Oilers finished 11th in the Western Conference with a record of 38-35-9 for 85 points. This was the fifth time in seven seasons they have not reached the playoffs.

The Oilers were a long way from 2006 when they made it to the Stanley Cup finals, losing in seven games to Carolina. MacTavish had just six players left from that team. This year, his players were younger and more skilled but lacked the grit and gamesmanship of the club that came within one game of the title.

This week, MacTavish acknowledged that toughness was an issue.