Twins Continue to Push for High Court Review

The Minnesota Supreme Court gave the operator of the Metrodome until Thursday to respond to the request by the Twins and baseball to have the high court review the injunction that forces the team to play this season.

Ordinarily, the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, the team’s landlord, would have had until Feb. 12 to respond. The Twins and baseball filed the petition Wednesday, one day after the Minnesota Court of Appeals voted 3-0 to uphold the injunction.

The Supreme Court has not decided whether to accept the case, or whether to grant the request by the Twins and baseball to set an expedited schedule for oral arguments.

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The Seattle Mariners traded third baseman David Bell and cash to San Francisco for infielder Desi Relaford. The Mariners traded Bell after acquiring Jeff Cirillo from Colorado in a trade last month.... Free agent outfielder Matt Stairs and the Milwaukee Brewers agreed to a $500,000, one-year contract.... Outfielder Armando Rios agreed to a $925,000, one-year contract with Pittsburgh.... Juan Gonzalez passed his physical without any problems, but his two-year, $24-million contract with the Texas Rangers still hasn’t been finalized.... Hall of Famer Ted Williams was in serious condition but resting comfortably after a second day in a Gainesville, Fla., hospital, recovering from flu-like symptoms.

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Jurisprudence

Former heavyweight boxer Ikemefula “Ike” Ibeabuchi was sentenced to five to 30 years in prison for sexually assaulting an entertainer at a Las Vegas hotel-casino.... American boxing judge Eugenia Williams won a libel suit against a British tabloid newspaper, which alleged she may have taken money to score in favor of Evander Holyfield in his heavyweight title bout against Lennox Lewis. The exact amount of money awarded was not disclosed.

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Soccer

The United States played a scoreless tie against Germany in its second game at a four-nation women’s tournament in Panyu, China, and was eliminated from title contention.... The U.S. men’s team will play the Netherlands on May 19 in the Americans’ final exhibition game before the World Cup. The Royal Dutch Soccer Federation said the game will be played at an East Coast city to be determined.

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Miscellany

Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has signed to coach the Oklahoma Storm of the U.S. Basketball League.

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Tailback DeShaun Foster will make his first appearance on a football field since he was suspended for UCLA’s last four games today in the Senior Bowl.

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Four other Bruins will also play--defensive linemen Ken Kocher and Kenyon Coleman, safety Marques Anderson and tight end Bryan Fletcher.

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Three Colorado football players have been suspended and will be required to do extra course work elsewhere before they can return to the university.

Coach Gary Barnett said linebacker Chad Gardner and linemen Matt McChesney and Sam Wilder have been disciplined. Barnett did not give details, but made clear they were not connected to allegations of rape by football recruits at a party.

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The San Diego Gulls defeated the Ice Dogs, 4-1, in a West Coast Hockey League game at San Diego.