CLEVELAND (AP) ― Grady Sizemore never heard the crowd’s roar.Striding to the plate for his first at-bat in 11 months on a surgically repaired left knee, Sizemore’s mind raced. His thoughts drowned out a welcoming ovation from fans who couldn’t wait to see him back in Cleveland’s leadoff spot and roaming center field.As he stepped into the box, the noisy ballpark went silent.“There was a lot going

Stoke City bag 5-0 win at Wembley StadiumIt was a match he had dreamed of playing. Lee Chung-yong of Bolton Wanderers tried to reach the English FA Cup final, but his dream ended bitterly on Sunday as the team lost to Stoke City 5-0 in the semifinals at Wembley Stadium.The Korean midfielder revealed he was hugely disappointed to be knocked out of the FA Cup, admitting that his team had played its

CLEVELAND (AP) ― Orlando Cabrera senses something special happening to the Cleveland Indians. In 13 major league seasons, he’s seen this before.With each quality start, clutch hit and win, the Indians’ confidence grows. Cabrera sees a young team blossoming into a quality one.“I think we have what it takes,” he said.To do what?“To win,” he said. “I don’t like to compete. I like to win.”That’s exact

The World Taekwondo Peace Corps Foundation, a non-profit organization promoting peace through the traditional Korean martial art, is looking for new volunteers for this year’s program. The World Taekwondo Federation, the sport’s governing body, established the Peace Corps in 2008 to provide more opportunities for youths in developing countries. A volunteer teaches Sri Lankan participants during th

LONDON (AP) ― Manchester City ended Manchester United’s chances of winning three trophies in the same season, beating its local rival 1-0 at Wembley on Saturday to reach its first FA Cup final in 30 years.Chelsea kept alive its faint hopes of retaining the Premier League title with a 3-1 win at West Bromwich Albion.Yaya Toure scored in the 52nd minute for City, leaving United in contention for the

 Exhibitions“Koo Bohnchang”: One of South Korea’s most renowned photographers, Koo Bohn-chang, is holding a solo exhibition at Kukje Gallery. Elements from his other series as well as his personal collections of eclectic objects are on display, giving the viewers a hint of Koo’s youth, attitudes toward photography and more. The exhibition runs through April 30 at Kukje Gallery in Sogyeok-dong, cen

Decked out in his patented red shirt, black slacks and black cap, Tiger Woods on Thursday treated a half-dozen South Korean junior golfers to the lesson of their lifetime.Making his first trip to South Korea since 2004, Woods offered tips on hitting drivers, long irons and wedges, and then on putting for the six young golfers at Jade Palace Golf Club here, about 85 kilometers east of Seoul. The fo

LONDON (AP) ― Real Madrid and Schalke easily avoided any miraculous comebacks in the Champions League quarterfinals Wednesday, following up their massive first-leg victories with more modest wins to advance to the last four.Schalke beat defending champion Inter Milan 2-1 at home, advancing 7-3 on aggregate following its stunning victory last week in Italy.Madrid never looked likely to give up its

Choo Shin-soo’s fourth-inning single only hit for ClevelandANAHEIM, California (AP) ― Dan Haren pitched a one-hitter, allowing only Choo Shin-soo’s clean single in the fourth inning, and the Los Angeles Angels beat Cleveland 2-0 Tuesday night to snap the Indians’ eight-game winning streak.Haren (3-0) struck out eight and walked two in his third major league shutout. Choo’s single to center field c

Tiger Woods arrives in Incheon Airport on Wednesday, April 13, 2010. (Yonhap News)Golf star Tiger Woods is back in Korea for the second time in six years. The former No. 1 golfer was to arrive in Incheon Airport late Wednesday, and is scheduled to give lessons to local golfers Thursday in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province.Fresh from a solid performance at the Masters, Woods is now on a tour in Asia with

Park Ji-sung secures Red Devils’ 2-1 victory over 10-man ChelseaLONDON (AP) ― Barcelona and Manchester United moved a step closer to a rematch of the 2009 Champions League final Tuesday as both clubs earned victories to extend their first-leg advantage and reach the semis.Lionel Messi scored his club-record 48th goal of the season in the 43rd minute to give Barcelona a 1-0 win over Shakhtar Donets

Craftworks Taphouse in Itaewon is launching a new beer Thursday to raise awareness for a campaign to end bear farming in Korea.The microbrewery has brewed the new Jirisan Moonbear IPA, named after the mountain where bears can still be found in Korea, in support of Bear Necessities Korea. Moon bears are protected species in Korea but the animals are still farmed for their bile, which is prized for

Entering its fifth year, the Tour de Korea, South Korea’s top road bicycle competition, will keep growing into a premier race in Asia, a senior organizer of the event said Tuesday.In an interview with Yonhap News Agency, Sung Ki-hong, head of sports industry at the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation, said the total purse for the Tour de Korea will increase next year and support from fans and local

South Korean short track speed skater Ahn Hyun-soo, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, will leave for Russia this month to continue his career, the skater’s father said Tuesday.Ahn Ki-won said the 25-year-old short tracker will stay in Russia for a year, “to study and to regroup” after several difficult past years. The junior Ahn is scheduled to depart after the South Korean national team trials

The South Korean men’s Olympic football team will face Iraq on June 1 at home, the sport’s local governing body said Tuesday.The Korea Football Association said the location and time of the friendly against Iraq had not yet been determined. It said the match will help South Korea prepare for a showdown against Jordan, another Middle Eastern opponent, during the regional qualification for the 2012

Afshin Ghotbi’s place in the history of South Korean soccer folklore is assured; he was, after all, a member of the national team’s coaching staff at the 2002 World Cup, the first of three stints with the Taeguk Warriors. He would argue that there is much more to come in the future whether in Korea or Japan, his current place of employment.That has been temporarily put on hold as his new career in

The finals of this year’s Korean Basketball League are now set with the KCC Egis facing Dongbu Promy in a best-of-seven series, which starts Saturday.The Jeonju-based KCC beat ET-land Elephants 105-95 in the playoffs Monday to set up a final showdown against the Wonju-based side.With another MVP-caliber performance by Ha Seung-jin, the third-seeded Egis took a third straight win against the second

AUGUSTA, Georgia (AP) ― Charl Schwartzel gave this Masters a finish it deserved.On an amazing Sunday at Augusta National, where the roars came from everywhere and for everyone and didn’t stop until it was over, Schwartzel emerged from the madness by becoming the first Masters champion to close with four straight birdies.His final putt from 20 feet curled into the side of the cup for a 6-under 66,

The South Korean national team has not won the Asian Cup since 1960, but domestic teams have no such problems when it comes to Asian club football. The K-League has a special relationship with Asian club competitions.The facts speak for themselves. Korean club teams have been champions of Asia a record nine times. Fellow continental powerhouses Japan and Saudi Arabia are next best with five champi

SEATTLE (AP) ― Asdrubal Cabrera has never been considered a power hitter. His career high for a season is six home runsBarely a week into the 2011 campaign, Cabrera already has three homers and the surging Indians are the surprise leaders of the AL Central.Cabrera welcomed Erik Bedard back to Safeco Field with a solo shot and the Indians beat the Seattle Mariners 6-4 on Sunday for their seventh st