Gordon Joins the White Sox

Tom Gordon agreed Monday to a one-year, $1.4-million contract with the Chicago White Sox following a 2002 season that was cut short by a muscle tear in his right shoulder.

Gordon, 35, was traded during last season from the Chicago Cubs to Houston and had a 0.92 earned-run average in 19 2/3 innings for the Astros.

The White Sox were in need of bullpen depth after trading reliever Antonio Osuna to the New York Yankees in a three-team deal that brought starter Bartolo Colon to Chicago.

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Catcher Ben Davis and the Seattle Mariners agreed to a one-year, $1-million contract, nearly triple his $350,000 salary last season. Davis, 25, hit .259 with seven home runs and threw out 44% of runners attempting to steal.... Right-hander Dustin Hermanson began his second tour with the St. Louis Cardinals after agreeing to a one-year, $900,000 contract. ... The Boston Red Sox have reached a tentative agreement with first baseman David Ortiz and plan to bring Dave Nilsson to spring training on a minor-league contract.... The Tampa Bay Devil Rays signed left-hander Jim Parque and outfielder Ryan Thompson to minor league contracts.

Miscellany

Olympic silver medalist Irina Slutskaya finished second in qualifying at the European Figure Skating Championships in Malmoe, Sweden, to Elena Sokolova, who ended a five-year hiatus from major competition.

USC will unveil quarterback Carson Palmer’s Heisman Trophy on Wednesday at noon at Heritage Hall.

Palmer’s No. 3 jersey also will be retired during a ceremony and pep rally that also will feature the unveiling of the NCAA championship trophy won by USC’s women’s volleyball team.

Palmer, USC President Steven Sample, Athletic Director Mike Garrett, football Coach Pete Carroll and women’s volleyball Coach Mick Haley will be joined at the presentation by the school’s marching band. The public is invited.

Among the recent inductees to the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame were former Angel president Richard Brown, boxing promoter Bob Arum, King defenseman Mathieu Schneider, tennis player Justin Gimelstob, local football coach Jack Epstein and Times staff writer Steve Springer.

Passings

Harry Forbes, a longtime newspaperman and official in U.S. Olympic boxing and synchronized swimming, died of pneumonia at San Antonio. He was 89.