Off the wire

LITTLE ROCK — FOOTBALL Former Vikings GM dies

Mike Lynn, the longtime Minnesota Vikings executive who made the ill-fated trade with Dallas for Herschel Walker, has died. He was 76. The Vikings confirmed Lynn’s death Saturday with a statement on the team website. Lynn served as the team’s general manager from 1975 to 1990. He is best remembered for one of the most lopsided trades in NFL history. The Vikings sent five players and seven draft picks to the Cowboys in 1989 for Walker, the running back Lynn considered the missing link to a Super Bowl run. Walker never panned out in Minnesota and Dallas used the riches of players and picks to lay the groundwork for three Super Bowl victories in the 1990s.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is stepping into suspended teammate Jonathan Vilma’s fight against the NFL over his season-long suspension. Vilma’s attorneys filed an affidavit Saturday in federal court in New Orleans supporting Vilma’s effort to discard the suspension imposed over his alleged involvement in a program offering bonuses to injure opponents. Brees swears in the document that “I have no knowledge of a pay to injure program existing, and yet to personally see any evidence that would substantiate these allegations.” Vilma and Saints Coach Sean Payton have been suspended for the 2012 season for their roles in the bounty program the NFL says went on for three seasons.

BASEBALL

White Sox acquire Myers

The Chicago White Sox acquired Houston reliever Brett Myers on Saturday for two minor league pitchers and a player to be named. Myers had 19 saves and a 3.52 ERA for the Astros this season and will try to bolster an inexperienced Chicago bullpen. Addison Reed, Chicago’s 23-year-old closer, has 15 saves but a 4.24 ERA. Rookie Nate Jones has a 3.57 ERA in 35 appearances.

Johan Santana was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained right ankle, the latest setback for the fading New York Mets since the All-Star break. The left hander has struggled mightily since Reed Johnson of the Chicago Cubs stepped on his foot July 6 on a play at first base.

HORSE RACING Union Rags retires

Belmont Stakes winner Union Rags has been retired because of a tendon injury in his left front leg. The announcement Saturday came a week after the colt’s veterinarian had said he would be out with the injury but that his prognosis was “excellent” for a return next year. Russell Jones, bloodstock adviser to the colt’s owner Phyllis Wyeth, said Union Rags is “a pretty attractive stallion prospect” and that there has been a high level of interest in the horse with his retirement.

Royal Delta took the lead coming out of the final turn and beat Tiz Miz Sue, trained by Steve Hobby of Hot Springs by a neck Saturday to win the 75th running of the $750,000 Grade II Delaware Handicap in Wilmington, Del. As they hit the wire, Royal Delta, ridden by Mike Smith, pulled out the win by a neck, and Awesome Maria was 53/4 lengths back in third. Royal Delta covered the 1 1/4 miles in 2:03.51 to get her seventh win in 12 lifetime starts and paid $3.00, $2.40 and $2.10. Tiz Miz Sue returned $9.80 and $3.60, and Awesome Maria paid $2.10.

Acclamation led all the way in defeating Interaction by 2 3/4 lengths to win the $300,000 Eddie Read Stakes for the second consecutive year at Del Mar in California.

Ridden by Patrick Valenzuela, Acclamation ran 1 1/8 miles on the turf in 1:46.86 and paid $3, $2.60 and $2.10. Interaction returned $5.40 and $3, while Casino Host was another 2 1/4 lengths back in third and paid $2.80 to show.

Questing moved to seize control with more than a half-mile to run and was never threatened while taking a 4 1/4-length victory in the 96th running of the $300,000 Coaching Club American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies Saturday at Saratoga Race Course in New York. Irad Ortiz Jr. rode the Kiaran McLaughlin trained filly, who ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.30 while drifting beyond the middle of the course at the end.Zo Impressive was second and In Lingerie, the favorite, finished third of six after hesitating at the start. Questing’s first stakes victory of the season was worth $180,000 to her owner, Godolphin Stable. She paid $9.80, $5.70 and $3.70. Zo Impressive returned $3.80 and $2.60. In Lingerie paid $2.40 to show.

Howe Great took the lead near the top of the stretch and drew off to win the $60,000 Jersey Derby at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., beating Fire Alarm by 1 1/4 lengths. Trained by H. Graham Motion and ridden by Joe Bravo, the 3-year-old colt ran the 1 1/16miles over a firm turf course in 1:42.67 and paid $2.60, $2.40 and $2.10. Fire Alarm returned $7 and $3.40, while Crafty Unicorn was another 2 lengths back in third and paid $3.40.

TENNIS

Roddick tops No. 1 seed

No. 4 seed Andy Roddick beat top-seeded John Isner 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-4 in the semifinals of the Atlanta Open on Saturday night. Roddick will play Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller, who knocked off No. 8 Go Soeda of Japan 6-4, 6-3, for his 32nd ATP World Tour title today. Isner was attempting to win his second consecutive event for the first time in his seven-year career, but fell short in Atlanta for the third consecutive year.

Second-seeded Dominika Cibulkova beat Nadia Petrova 7-6 (8), 6-1 to reach the final of the Mercury Insurance Open in Carlsbad, Calif. After Cibulkova came back in the tiebreaker to pull out the first set, she dominated the second set over a visibly tired Petrova to reach her second final of the season. Cibulkova, looking for her first title of the season, will face top-seeded Marion Bartoli of France or qualifier Chan Yung-Jan of Taiwan in today’s final.

Third-seeded Juan Monaco and veteran Tommy Haas will play for the title at the German Tennis Championships today in Hamburg. Monaco upset top-seeded and last year’s finalist Nicolas Almagro 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Haas defeated fourth seeded Marin Cilic 7-6 (7), 6-0.

Defending champion Polona Hercog has advanced to the final of the Swedish Open in Stockholm, where she will face Mathilde Johansson of France today. The Slovenian eased through her semifinal Saturday on the Bastad Tennis Stadium clay court, beating Mona Barthel of Germany 6-1, 6-3. Johansson ousted Johanna Larsson 6-4, 6-4.

BOXING

Broner defeats Escobedo

Adrien “The Problem” Broner defeated No. 1 ranked WBO title contender Vicente Escobedo by technical knockout at 2:32 of the fifth round Saturday in Cincinnati. Broner relinquished his WBO junior lightweight title Friday after weighing in 3 1/2 pounds overweight. Broner, a Cincinnati native fighting in the 130-pound weight class for the final time, improved to 24-0 with 20 KOs, while Escobedo fell to 26-4. Saturday’s fight was to be Broner’s second WBO title defense.

SOAP BOX DERBY Ohio girl overcomes crash to win race

AKRON, Ohio - Kallie Myers let out two ear-piercing screams, hours apart at the 75th All-American Soap Box Derby.

One yell came from fear, the other from absolute delight.

“This is so unbelievable,” said Myers, 17, of St. Clairsville, Ohio, tears of joy filling her eyes after overcoming a scary early morning crash to race to victory Saturday in the Super Stock Division.

A few hours earlier, Myers also was in tears after winning her first heat of the day - then getting rammed after crossing the finish line by a competitor who lost control of his car.

“I was so scared and was screaming so loud they heard me all over,” Myers said.

After winning it all, Myers hugged her dad, Matt. She was surrounded by other family members, including brother Matt, who competed in the 2005 final.

“Did she tell you she cried all the way down the hill her second run?”Myers’ father said. “She just stayed with it and kept winning. We’re all so proud of her.”