Three receive hall induction

Baseball: On the day another Hall of Fame tradition began, Dave Van Horne, Bill Conlin and Roland Hemond were the center of attention.

The three were honored Saturday at Doubleday Field. Van Horne received the Ford C. Frick Award for his contributions in broadcasting; Conlin was given the J.G. Taylor Spink Award for sports writing; and Hemond the Buck O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award. The awards had always been given on induction Sunday.

“It’s a little bit overwhelming,” Hemond (pictured) said. “I’m very happy and humble to be getting the Buck O’Neil Award. I was fortunate to meet Buck on several occasions, and he made a lasting impression upon me.”

The late afternoon featured an inductee press conference in which Bert Blyleven, Roberto Alomar and Pat Gillick answered questions. They will be inducted today ( see story, Page C7).

Associated Press

FIFA puts ban on bin Hammam

Soccer: FIFA banned Mohamed bin Hammam from soccer for life after finding him guilty of bribing presidential election voters.

A FIFA ethics panel ruled that the Qatari candidate conspired to pay Caribbean officials $40,000 cash bribes to back his ultimately abandoned challenge to FIFA President Sepp Blatter.

The verdict “was in keeping with the declared policy of the committee to show zero tolerance of unethical behavior,” panel chairman Petrus Damaseb said.

Bin Hammam is the most senior soccer official convicted of corruption in FIFA’s 107-year history.

His lawyer said bin Hammam rejected the findings based on “so-called circumstantial evidence” and maintained his innocence.

Associated Press