Newsmakers

Retired The NBA’s first openly gay player, Jason Collins, announced his retirement Wednesday. The 35-year-old Collins played 22 games with the Brooklyn Nets last season and was not on the roster this season. He announced his retirement in a first-person story for Sports Illustrated, saying it has “been 18 exhilarating months” since he came out as the first openly gay man in one of the four major North American professional leagues.

Signed The Oakland Athletics agreed to terms on a $30 million, three-year contract with designated hitter Billy Butler through the 2017 season. Butler helped the Kansas City Royals reach the World Series last month after a 29-year playoff drought. The Royals declined their $12.5 million option on Butler for next season, making the 2012 All-Star a free agent for the first time in his eight-year career. The Royals, who selected Butler with the 14th overall pick in the 2004 draft, owed him a $1 million buyout.

Extended San Diego State basketball coach Steve Fisher, who turned the program from a laughingstock into a perennial NCAA tournament team, signed a three-year contract extension that runs through the 2017-18 season. Fisher is in the final year of a four-year contract extension he signed in 2011 that included a clause that his long-time assistant, Brian Dutcher, is the head-coach-in-waiting.

Canceled Churchill Downs is canceling live racing for a second straight day after the track remained frozen following an early blast of wintry weather. It’s the first time a frozen track has forced consecutive cancellations since Nov. 23-24, 1970.

Suspended The NBA suspended Charlotte Hornets forward Jeffery Taylor for 24 games without pay after he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor domestic violence assault and malicious destruction of hotel property last month.

Announced Montana State University didn’t renew the contract of volleyball coach Kyle Weindel. His Bobcats teams posted a 28-60 mark.