Newsmakers

Reinstated The Houston Rockets have reinstated suspended forward Royce White and he’s due to report to the team’s developmental league affiliate on Feb. 11. The 6-foot-8 White, the 16th overall pick in the last draft, has been on the inactive list all season as he worked on an arrangement with the team to balance his acknowledged anxiety disorder with the demands of the NBA schedule. The Rockets said Saturday they had reached an agreement that “addresses the major issues” for the two sides. The league and the players’ union have both approved the settlement, the Rockets said.

Dismissed Oregon football coach Mark Helfrich has dismissed defensive back James Scales from the team for a rules violation. The school was not specific about the violation. Scales, a sophomore, played in seven games last season, making six tackles.

Joined The Washington Nationals’ said that William Howard Taft will join George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Li ncoln and Theodore Roosevelt this season for the fourth-inning race by 12-foot mascots. Taft was the portliest president at more than 300 pounds. He became the first president to throw out a ceremonial first pitch, at Washington’s Griffith Stadium on April 14, 1910.

Tied American soccer forward Jozy Altidore tied his career high with his 19th goal of the season in AZ Alkmaar’s 4-1 win at VVV Venlo on Friday. The 23-year-old gave AZ a 3-1 lead in the 62nd minute with his 15th league goal of the season. His 19 goals in all competitions matched his total last season.

Ridden Hall of Fame jockey Russell Baze has ridden the 50,000th thoroughbred race of his career. The 54-year-old rider finished third in the historic race at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Fields. Baze notched 11,839 victories from his 50,000 mounts, and both totals are North American racing records, according to Equibase.

Transferred Jockey Ramon Dominguez has made enough progress in the recovery from a fractured skull that he was transferred out of intensive care. Dominguez was injured when his mount Convocation stumbled and fell in a race Jan. 18 at Aqueduct, pitching the rider onto the winterized inner track.

Won The $400,000 Holy Bull Stakes went to Itsmyluckyday after he overtook heavily favored Shanghai Bobby in the stretch and broke the Gulfstream Park record for 1 1/16 miles with a 1:41.81 time at Hallandale Beach, Fla. … Teddy’s Promise won the $250,000 Santa Monica Stakes by three lengths at Santa Anita. … Fiftyshadesofhay won the $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes for 3-year-old fillies by 5 3/4 lengths at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.