Associated Press
CHARLOTTE ó There was little recognition outside the racing world when Jimmie Johnson won his first NASCAR championship.
Same with his second, and again with his third.
But four straight titles? That’s a different story.
Johnson, the first driver in NASCAR history to win four consecutive championships, earned mainstream recognition Monday when he was honored as the Male Athlete of the Year by members of The Associated Press.
Johnson received 42 votes from editors at U.S. newspapers which are members of the AP. Tennis star Roger Federer (30 votes) and sprinter Usain Bolt (29) were the only other athletes with totals in double digits.
Although Tiger Woods was named Athlete of the Decade, the golfer received only nine votes for Athlete of the Year. He was tied with NBA star Kobe Bryant and slugger Albert Pujols.
For Johnson, the first race car driver to be named the AP’s Athlete of the Year in its 78-year history, the award is the validation he’s been waiting for since he began his historic run in 2006.
“We’d been wondering the last few years, ‘When is this going to hit?’ ” he said. “It seems like the answer is now. The wave is finally peaking, and we don’t know where it’s going to take us. The fourth-straight title takes it out of our sport and makes it a point of discussion ó like, ‘Wow, a race car driver won this thing.’ ”
BASEBALL
ATLANTA ó Chip Caray said he was hired to be the Braves’ play-by-play man on Fox Sports South and SportsSouth. He’s expected to work about 105 games in 2010.
nCLEVELAND ó The Cleveland Indians have acquired pitcher Mitch Talbot from Tampa Bay, completing the trade that sent catcher Kelly Shoppach to the Rays.
n NEW YORK ó Ryota Igarashi, a Japanese reliever who agreed last week to a $3 million, two-year deal, decided to join the Mets because he wanted to be with a winner.
“I’ve been looking for a team to proceed to the World Series,” he said Monday.
Igarashi joins a bullpen that includes right-handers Brian Stokes, Sean Green and Bobby Parnell and left-hander Pedro Feliciano.
nWASHINGTON ó Pitcher Jason Marquis and the Washington Nationals have agreed to a two-year contract, pending a physical.
NHLRALEIGH ó Marian Gaborik scored his NHL-leading 25th goal and added an assist, and the New York Rangers beat Carolina 3-1.n NASHVILLE, Tenn. ó Carrie Underwood is engaged to Ottawa Senators hockey player Mike Fisher, her publicist said.
NBACHARLOTTE ó It’s uncertain if Gerald Wallace (head), Stephen Jackson (back) and Flip Murray (ankle) will play against Detroit.
COLLEGE FOOTBALLGAINESVILLE, Fla. ó Florida’s Brandon James, who leads the team in all-purpose yards, will not play in the Sugar Bowl after having surgery on his right foot.
LOS ANGELES ó Southern Cal tailback Joe McKnight did not travel with the Trojans to the Bay Area for Saturday’s Emerald Bowl.
SOCCERZURICH ó Lionel Messi is the FIFA World Player of the Year after leading FC Barcelona to a trio of Spanish and European titles.
CHICAGO ó Landon Donovan has been voted the U.S. Soccer Federation’s Male Athlete of the Year for the third time, and Hope Solo became the first goalkeeper to win the women’s award.