Sports Briefs: Donnie Baseball gives up the game

Wednesday, Jan. 22, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

SUN WIRE REPORTS

Don Mattingly has been gone for a year, and today he made it official, saying goodbye to baseball and the New York Yankees.

The greatest Yankees player never to reach the World Series, the man known as Donnie Baseball formally announced his retirement today at a news conference at Yankee Stadium.

Mattingly, 35, sat out last season when New York won the championship. He began his career in 1982, the year after the Yankees lost the World Series to Los Angeles. That 14-year Series drought was the team's longest since Babe Ruth began wearing pinstripes.

"One of the sadnesses of winning it all last year was that Donnie wasn't with us," manager Joe Torre said. "He spent his whole life hoping to get into the World Series and never got there."

A six-time All-Star and a nine-time Gold Glove first baseman, Mattingly hit .307 in his career with 222 home runs and 1,099 RBIs.

In other baseball news:

* Career saves Lee Smith was invited to spring training by the Montreal Expos.

* Alan Trammell, who retired last year after 20 seasons with the Detroit Tigers, was appointed as the team's assistant to baseball operations.

Cavanaugh joins Bears

Matt Cavanaugh, the quarterbacks coach of the San Francisco 49ers last season, has been named offensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears. Cavanaugh replaced Ron Turner on Tuesday. Turner left to become head coach at the University of Illinois. Cavanaugh was an assistant coach with the Arizona Cardinals for two seasons before joining the 49ers. The 14-year NFL veteran quarterback began his coaching career at Pitt, his alma mater, supervising the Panthers' tight ends in 1993.

In other NFL news:

* A $1.8 million judgment in favor of a former San Diego Chargers player who claimed the NFL pushed him into drug addiction may open the door for others in similar situations. U.S. District Judge Rudi Brewster ordered the league Tuesday to pay the disability benefits to former Chargers guard Walt Sweeney, who said his post-football life was ruined by his addiction. Lawyers for the Bert Bell-Pete Rozelle NFL Retirement Plan indicated they would appeal the ruling. If Brewster's decision stands, it could open the door to other suits against pro football's $400 million pension and disability fund, legal experts said.

* Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Wade Phillips agreed to stay with the team for at least two years unless he receives an offer to become a head coach. He has applied for the head coaching vacancy in New Orleans.

* Dallas cornerback Deion Sanders was officially ruled out of the Pro Bowl. Washington veteran Darrell Green was selected to take Sanders' spot in the Feb. 2 game at Honolulu. Sanders has an eye injury.

Woods help minorities

Tiger Woods, golf's youngest million-dollar man, and his father, Earl, have started a foundation to promote minority participation in golf and related activities. Woods, 21, announced the Tiger Woods Foundation on Tuesday during a new conference at the TPC of Scottsdale, where he is preparing for the Phoenix Open. It will be funded by Woods sponsors Nike, Titleist and the All Star Cafe, as well as donations from the golfer. On Monday, Woods attracted an estimated 2,500 youngsters to the course for a clinic. He said his foundation will conduct similar junior clinics in major metropolitan areas, with six tentatively scheduled this year.