Newsmakers

Died A retired Indiana school principal who was NASCAR star Jeff Gordon’s driver’s education teacher was killed with his wife in a Tennessee crash while returning from watching Gordon race. Officials say 78-year-old Larry Sparks and 77-year-old Jacqueline Sparks of Pittsboro, Indiana, died in Monday’s crash near Jellico, Tennessee, when they veered off the road ran into a tree.

Attended Thousands of people in the Dominican Republic attended the burial of former St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras. Among those attending the funeral Tuesday for the 22-year-old slugger was Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak and manager Mike Matheny. Taveras was considered one of the top prospects in the majors. He hit .239 with three homers and 22 RBIs in 80 games in his only season in the majors.

Competing Texas A&M quarterback Kenny Hill may be headed for the bench. Offensive coordinator Jake Spavital says Hill and freshman Kyle Allen have been taking snaps with the first team this week and a starter for Saturday’s game against Louisiana-Monroe will be decided later this week. Texas A&M has since dropped three straight, including a 59-0 loss to Alabama – the team’s first shutout since 2003.

Regrets Golden State Warriors co-owner Peter Guber wrote to team employees to say that he regrets if anybody was offended by his unintentional use of “hoodish” in an email. Guber listed “hoodish” as one of the languages he planned to learn as he replied to a team email praising the franchise for having five international players on this season’s roster. Guber, who is Jewish, responded later that he intended to type Yiddish.

Scratched Two-year-old colt American Pharoah, who would have been the likely favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, has been scratched. Owner Ahmed Zayat said the horse “was off this morning.” He went on to say the veterinarian couldn’t find anything wrong with American Pharoah and an X-ray was clean. Zayat tweeted that he was “crushed” and “devastated” but that he couldn’t take a chance “with a special colt like this.”

Injured Portland Timbers midfielder Diego Valeri will have surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Valeri was injured in Saturday’s 2-0 victory over FC Dallas. The 28-year-old Valeri had 11 goals and 14 assists in 33 games in his second season with Portland. He is expected to be out for at least five months.