Fast Break

College football

Coaching great Robinson dies

Eddie Robinson, the longtime Grambling coach who transformed a small, black college into a football power that sent hundreds of players to the NFL, died Tuesday. He was 88.

The soft-spoken coach spent nearly 60 years at Grambling State University, where he set a standard for victories with 408 and nearly every season relished seeing his top players drafted by NFL teams.

Robinson’s career spanned 11 presidents, several wars and the civil rights movement. His overall record of excellence is what will be remembered: In 57 years, Robinson compiled a 408-165-15 record.

Skiing

Brandenburg 2nd at U.S. Alpine

It’s been a momentous week and season for 20-year-old Spokane skier Will Brandenburg, 20. He took second in the giant slalom on the final day of the U.S. Alpine Championships Tuesday at the Alyeska Resort in Girdwood, Alaska.

The day before, he was chosen the U.S. Junior Alpine Skier of the year by Ski Racing Magazine. Former winners have won numerous national and international honors, including 10 Olympic medals.

This season, Brandenburg, a 2005 Mead High graduate who races for the Schweitzer Alpine Racing School, was fifth in the World Junior downhill, the best U.S. result. He was 10th in the final NorAm standings (fourth in the giant slalom) and led all juniors in the downhill and super G at the U.S. Alpine.

At the U.S. Alpine, Ted Ligety took first place in Tuesday’s GS for his fifth national title.

Brandenburg is a member of the national development team and will definitely move up before next season. He finished fifth in the super-G and No. 8 in the downhill and had the third-fastest opening run in the slalom before falling in the second.

“Ted still beat me by quite a bit, but it’s all right. I’m happy with second,” Brandenburg said.

Baseball

Griffey will wear Jackie’s number

Ken Griffey Jr. plans to wear No. 42 on April 15, honoring the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking baseball’s color barrier.

The Cincinnati Reds outfielder called baseball commissioner Bud Selig and got permission to wear the retired number for the one day. Major League Baseball then invited players on other teams to do the same.

“What I think: If he didn’t achieve or didn’t overcome the racial tension, would I be wearing this uniform?” Griffey said Wednesday. “Or, when was the next opportunity that an African-American would get a chance to put on another major league uniform if he didn’t achieve what he did?”

Baseball plans to honor the anniversary before a game between the San Diego Padres and the Dodgers in Los Angeles. Robinson played his first game for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947.