Armstrong’s injury worse than feared

Lance Armstrong said Tuesday that initial X-rays of his broken collarbone revealed a more complicated injury than was originally thought but that he is still expecting to compete in the Giro d’Italia, which begins May ,9 and the Tour de France, which begins July 4.

Armstrong, 37, broke his right collarbone Monday in a crash at the Vuelta a Castilla y Leon in Spain. Douglas Elenz, an orthopedic surgeon in Armstrong’s home of Austin, Texas, will do surgery today to put a plate in the shattered collarbone.

Armstrong said he was told to spend 72 hours “doing nothing,” and that if there were no complications that he could begin working on a training bicycle in four days.

The injury is common among cyclists, but it is one Armstrong had never suffered.

-- Diane Pucin

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BASEBALL

Geren agrees to extension with A’s

The Oakland Athletics and Manager Bob Geren agreed on a one-year contract extension, with a club option for 2011.

Geren is 151-172 in two years running the A’s after being promoted from bench coach in November 2006 by general manager and close friend Billy Beane. Oakland finished third in the American League West last season at 75-86.

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TENNIS

Report: Clijsters asks about wild-card bid

Former No. 1-ranked player Kim Clijsters asked the U.S. Open about receiving a wild card for this year’s tournament as part of her comeback plans, a person who works at the U.S. Tennis Assn. told the Associated Press. The 25-year-old Clijsters, who retired in 2007, will hold a news conference Thursday in Belgium to announce her 2009 plans.

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JURISPRUDENCE

USC’s Wright declines plea bargain

USC cornerback Shareece Wright declined another plea-bargain offer by the San Bernardino County district attorney’s office and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Thursday, his attorney said.

During a pre-preliminary hearing, prosecutors offered to reduce a felony charge of resisting a police officer to a misdemeanor but leave Wright responsible for a 60-day jail term to be served on weekends, said Carlos Juarez, Wright’s attorney. Wright previously rejected an offer that would have included a 90-day jail term to be served on weekends.

Wright, 21, was charged in September, when police in Colton, responding to a call about excessive noise at a party, had asked Wright to leave the home, which he did not. Wright has said he was invited to sleep over at his friend’s home and did not want to drive after drinking.

-- Gary Klein

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A pedestrian wasn’t in a crosswalk when Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth hit and killed him with his Bentley, according to a report released by police in Miami Beach, Fla. According to the report, Stallworth told officers he flashed his lights to try to warn 59-year-old Mario Reyes, a construction crane operator who was rushing to catch a bus after getting off work about 7:15 a.m. March 14.

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ETC.

Inter Milan to play Club America

Inter Milan, closing in on its fourth straight Italian Serie A title, opens what’s called the World Football Challenge on July 19 against Club America at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto as part of a four-club, six-city soccer tournament that also includes Chelsea and AC Milan.

Inter Milan then plays Chelsea two days later at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. ESPN will televise all six matches on its networks.

Dick Enberg will be honored with the second Vin Scully Lifetime Achievement Award in Sports Broadcasting on May 6 in New York. Enberg began his broadcast career in Los Angeles in 1965.

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PASSINGS

Baseball Hall of Famer Kell, 86

George Kell, the Hall of Fame third baseman who edged Ted Williams for the 1949 American League batting title and became a Detroit Tigers broadcaster for nearly 40 years, died at 86. Section A

Former world bantamweight champion Raul Macias has died from cancer at 74. Section A

Lloyd Ruby, who raced in the Indianapolis 500 for 18 straight years and won the 24 Hours at Daytona in 1966, has died. He was 81. Section A