Andre Dawson to enter Hall of Fame as a Montreal Expo

Andre Dawson will be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a Montreal Expo, despite his preference to go in as a Chicago Cub.

The hall announced its decision Wednesday. Dawson told WMVP-AM in Chicago that he thought hall officials would discuss the issue with him in detail before the decision was made. He said he wanted a chance to tell them “what really catapulted me to Hall of Fame status and pretty much what my preference was, but I think their decision had been made. It was a little gut-wrenching for me to hear that, but it’s their decision.

“I’m disappointed,” Dawson told the ESPN Radio affiliate. “I can proudly say that because Chicago was my preference.”

Dawson played his first 11 seasons with Montreal, batting .285 with 225 home runs and 838 runs batted in. He played six seasons with the Cubs, where he won the 1987 NL most-valuable-player award after batting .287 with 49 home runs and 137 RBIs.

Closer Huston Street and the Colorado Rockies have finalized a $22.5-million, three-year contract, a deal that could be worth $31 million over four seasons.

The New York Yankees and free-agent outfielder Randy Winn agreed to a $2-million, one-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told the Associated Press. The agreement all but eliminates any chance Johnny Damon has of returning to the World Series champions.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

NCAA says Sidney attorney is wrong

The NCAA called statements by Renardo Sidney’s family’s attorney “wrong” after the attorney declared the former Fairfax High basketball star could be days away from playing for Mississippi State.

NCAA spokeswoman Stacey Osburn said in an e-mail to reporters that the Sidney family attorney “continues to demonstrate a lack of understanding of the amateurism certification process . . . this matter will not be concluded until such final determinations have been made.”

The NCAA is reviewing support Sidney and his family received after moving from Mississippi to Los Angeles and residing in two expensive homes in the Fairfax district.

-- Lance Pugmire South Carolina’s first victory over a No. 1 team will cost $25,000. The Southeastern Conference fined South Carolina that amount for violating league rules against permitting fans on the playing area after a 68-62 victory over top-ranked Kentucky on Tuesday night.

ETC.

WNBA All-Stars to play U.S. team

The WNBA said it is changing this summer’s All-Star game format by featuring an All-Star team against the U.S. national team.

U.S. women’s basketball Coach Geno Auriemma, who also coaches the University of Connecticut women’s team, said the WNBA season puts his national team at a disadvantage in preparing for the world championships from Sept. 23-Oct. 3 in the Czech Republic.

“I think any time you can showcase the best players of the world against each other in a high-level competitive atmosphere, it’s got to be a good thing,” Auriemma said. “Sometimes these All-Star games become run-up-and-down-the-floor instead of being competitive. I think people tuning in will be surprised to see the level of play we’ll have.”

-- Diane Pucin Jamie Yanchar, an assistant strength and conditioning coach for USC, is leaving the Trojans to join the Seattle Seahawks in a similar position, the school announced.

Yanchar follows Chris Carlisle, USC’s strength and conditioning coach for the last nine years, who announced this week that he was joining Pete Carroll’s staff with the NFL team.

-- Gary Klein Tom Wittum, 60, a Pro Bowl punter for the San Francisco 49ers in the 1970s, died of cancer Friday at his home in the northern Chicago suburb of Antioch, Ill.