MLB Rangers President & CEO NOLAN RYAN was "released from a Houston hospital this morning" (DALLASNEWS.com, 7/19). Ryan had been in the hospital since Sunday "after experiencing what is believed to be a recurrence of the heart condition for which he has previously been treated." Ryan "experienced discomfort Sunday morning at his home." A series of heart-related tests yesterday "showed no new problems, and Ryan will continue to be treated medically" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 7/19). Ryan "had a double-bypass operation in 2000 and has a family history of heart disease" (ESPNDALLAS.com, 7/18).
ILLEGAL DEFENSE: U.S. District Court Judge SIDNEY FITZWATER yesterday ruled that Mavericks Owner MARK CUBAN "can't argue that a Securities and Exchange Commission insider-trading lawsuit against him should be blocked because of what he calls government misconduct." Fitzwater "granted the SEC's motion to strike Cuban's 'unclean hands' defense," saying that it is "available 'only in strictly limited circumstances,' and Cuban hadn't met an 'exacting standard' for it to be applied." LYLE ROBERTS, Cuban's attorney, called the issue "a minor legal skirmish" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 7/19).
HOCKEY HANDICAPPERS: The NATIONAL POST's Sean Fitz-Gerald profiled BRAD LEEB, who has "invested thousands in his website, betonhockey.com, with the hope it becomes a destination for sports bettors seeking handicapping for professional hockey games." The site "does not accept bets, but it does provide links to several sports books." Leeb and former NHLer JIMMY WAITE are "among those providing counsel, and breaking down matchups" (NATIONAL POST, 7/16).
NAMES: Former boxer PETER BUCKLEY will be the subject of the forthcoming film, "THE UNTITLED PETER BUCKLEY PROJECT." Buckley, who "refused to quit despite losing 256 of his 300 career fights, a record that earned him the dubious distinction as 'the worst boxer of all time,'" retired in '08 "with a victory in his 300th career fight." ALEX DAVIDSON is "currently writing the script" for the film (VARIETY.com, 7/18)....The NHL is a finalist for the '11 Beyond Sport Awards in the categories of Sport for Environment and Federation of the Year (NHL)....The John McEnroe Tennis Academy announced that more than $300,000 was raised from last Thursday’s World TeamTennis match between the New York Sportimes and Philadelphia Freedoms, which included a singles matchup between McEnroe and BJORN BORG. The funds will benefit the Johnny Mac Tennis Project (WTT)….MLB Cardinals GM JOHN MOZELIAK since mid-October has “dropped 32 pounds, from 227 to 195.” Mozeliak “hits the gym on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for 60 minutes." He said, ”I was stuck in neutral. As you get older, neutral is backwards” (ST. LOUIS BUSINESS JOURNAL, 7/15 issue).
