Associated Press
LOS ANGELES ó A tip from a parole officer led to the arrest Sunday of the key suspect in the attack on a Giants fan outside Dodger Stadium after the rival teamsí season opener, a brutal beating that brought outrage in the sports world and beyond.
Suspect Giovanni Ramirez, 31, was detained in an early morning raid on an East Hollywood apartment building and was believed to be the ěprimary aggressorî in the March 31 beating that left Bryan Stow with brain damage, Police Chief Charlie Beck said at a news conference.
Ramirez, of Los Angeles, was later booked for assault with a deadly weapon and was being held on $1 million bail, police said in a statement.
BOXING
MONTREAL ó Bernard Hopkins became the oldest fighter to win a major world championship, taking the WBC light heavyweight title Saturday night from Jean Pascal at the age of 46.
Hopkins (52-5-2) broke the age record set by George Foreman in a heavyweight title victory over Michael Moorer in 1994. Hopkins won at 46 years, 4 months, 6 days. Foreman was 45 years, 10 months.
Hopkins won the WBC, IBO and The Ring magazine titles from the 28-year-old Pascal (26-2-1), the Montreal fighter who was making his fifth defense before 17,560 at the Bell Centre.
The bout was a rematch of their Dec. 18 draw in Quebec City.
AUTO RACING
INDIANAPOLIS ó Danica Patrick took advantage of a second chance and qualified for the Indianapolis 500. IndyCarís most marketable personality is in the 33-car field with a four-lap qualifying average of 224.861 mph, the second fastest Sunday.
Patrick pulled out of the qualifying line when her car failed inspection, then had to wait through two rain delays before making a qualifying attempt. At one point, it looked as if Patrick might not even get that shot.
When the track dried, Patrick quickly qualified 26th, the middle of Row 9.
The race is May 29.
CONCORD ó Carl Edwards easily claimed the $1 million payday Saturday night with a flawless run in the Sprint All-Star Race.
His only mistake at Charlotte Motor Speedway came after he beat Kyle Busch to the checkered flag. Although it appeared Edwards ran over either a manhole cover or drainage device, a collision that caused heavy damage to the front of his Roush Fenway Racing Ford, track officials said the infield has only grass, so it wasnít clear what caused all the mishap.
Edwards had a sheepish grin as he climbed out his window for his customary celebratory backflip, and he apologized to crew chief Bob Osborne for wrecking the car.
NHL
ATLANTA ó About 200 Atlanta Thrashers fans gathered on Saturday to tailgate outside Philips Arena for perhaps the final time.
With the Thrashers reportedly close to being sold and moving to Winnipeg, fans blamed the teamís ownership group, the Atlanta Spirit, for the seemingly imminent departure next week.
Blame also spread to the NHL and Commissioner Gary Bettman for seemingly being complicit in rushing the teamís sale and move. Around the parking lot, a Bob Dylan quote from the 1965 song, ěDesolation Row,î was posted in several spots ó ěAnd here comes the blind commissioner. Theyíve got him in a trance.î
TENNIS
BURLINGTON, Vt. ó Tennis great Billie Jean King told University of Vermont graduates that relationships are everything because ěyou never know when youíre going to touch another personís life or how they will touch yours.î
King recounted to the 3,097 graduates on Sunday how she reluctantly went to a party attended by Elton John and they ended up becoming friends. He wrote ěPhiladelphia Freedomî in her honor.
SOCCER
MADRID ó Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in Real Madridís 8-1 rout of Almeria on Saturday to set a Spanish league record of 40 goals in a single season.
Ronaldo poked in Sergio Ramosí header at the far post 4 minutes in to break the old record before extending it with a goal in the 77th minute.
Ronaldo shared the previous mark of 38 with Athletic Bilbaoís Telmo Zarra and Madridís Hugo Sanchez, the league scoring leaders from the 1950-51 and 1989-90 seasons, respectively.
Ronaldo and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi are the first Spanish league players to score at least 50 goals in all competitions in one season.
GYMNASTICS
SAN JOSE, Calif. ó The world gymnastics championships are staying in Tokyo.
The International Gymnastics Federation decided Sunday there was no reason to move worlds, the main qualifier for the 2012 Olympics in London which will run from Oct. 7-16 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.