At 28, Epstein to Run Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox made 28-year-old Theo Epstein the youngest general manager in baseball history Monday, ending a long search for a front-office leader by promoting one of their own.

The Red Sox had been without a permanent general manager since Florida financier John W. Henry bought the team in spring training and fired Dan Duquette.

Mike Port was interim general manager for the season and was a candidate for the long-term job that went to Epstein. The team said Port has been invited to remain as vice president of baseball operations.

Epstein, who was reared near Fenway Park in suburban Brookline, became director of baseball operations for San Diego in 2000, when Red Sox President Larry Lucchino was running the Padres. Epstein also spent two years each in San Diego’s media relations department and as a baseball operations assistant.

“The Red Sox are very much in my blood, which makes this -- standing here today as the new general manager of this club -- a humbling experience,” Epstein said at a Fenway Park news conference.

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St. Louis Cardinal right-hander Andy Benes plans on ending his baseball career, although he would not use the word “retirement.” He said he plans to speak soon with General Manager Walt Jocketty.... The Cardinals did re-sign pitcher Woody Williams, who agreed to a $14.9-million, two-year contract.... Tom Glavine’s agent prepared a four-year counteroffer, hoping to spur higher bids from the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies.... The Pittsburgh Pirates filled a long-troublesome spot in their lineup, acquiring first baseman Randall Simon from the Detroit Tigers for three minor leaguers, including Australian-born left-hander Adrian Burnside.... Houston Astro outfielder Richard Hidalgo suffered muscle and nerve damage when he was shot in the left forearm during an attempted carjacking in Venezuela last week. General Manager Gerry Hunsicker said doctors are optimistic Hidalgo will be ready for spring training.

Miscellany

Pete Sampras, who won his 14th Grand Slam title with a victory at the U.S. Open in September, has become a father for the first time. Sampras’ wife, actress Bridgette Wilson, gave birth to Christian Charles last Thursday in Los Angeles, according to Deborah Grimes, the actress’ spokeswoman.

CART dropped the Rockingham 500 from next season’s calendar, leaving the troubled open-wheel series without any races in Europe in 2003. CART, however, hopes to announce shortly that it will hold at least two races in Europe next year.

ABC’s regional college football telecast of USC’s lopsided victory over UCLA drew a mediocre 9.6 Nielsen rating in Los Angeles with a 23 share of the audience.

Meanwhile, Ohio State’s 14-9 victory over Michigan, which was nationally televised, averaged an overnight rating of 8.5 with a 20 share in the major markets.

In Los Angeles, the Ohio State-Michigan game posted a 6.4/16. It got a 49.6/78 in Columbus, Ohio, a 31.5/57 in Cleveland and a 28.7/54 in Detroit.

On Sunday, the Clipper game against Houston was televised in Spanish on KVEA, Channel 52, and got a 0.5/1 L.A. rating.

North Carolina’s Shalane Flanagan and Colorado’s Jorge Torres won individual titles at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute, Ind. Stanford won the men’s team title and Brigham Young repeated as the women’s champion.

Long Beach Ice Dog players Nathan Horne, Mike Kelleher, Tyler Johnson, Jaime O’Leary and Pat Brush today will assist Meals on Wheels in preparing Thanksgiving meals for ill, elderly and disabled people in the area. The event will take place at Scottish Rite Cathedral, 855 Elm Ave. in Long Beach from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Passings

Steve Bradley, a former member of the U.S. national ski team who later created a machine that flattened moguls, has died at 86. Bradley died of pneumonia on Nov. 13 in Longmont, Colo.