Toledo

Mount Carmel point guard Troy Franklin Jr. is set to announce his college choice at a news conference at 12:45 p.m. today at his high school. Franklin will choose among five schools: Central Florida, George Mason, St. Bonaventure, Toledo and Towson. Here's what Troy Franklin Sr. had to say about Towson: "Towson, with [head coach] Pat Kennedy and [assistant coach] Jim Meil, they really came off well. They're at every game, I mean every game, during the open period when they can be there.

No. 20 Texas A&M (9-3) vs. No. 5 UCLA (9-2)Site: DallasTime: 1: 30 p.m. todayTV: CBSLine: UCLA by 13Coaches: R.C. Slocum (83-24-2); Bob Toledo (14-8)Outlook: After an 0-2 start, the Bruins won nine straight and were crowned co-champs of the Pac-10. A 37-34 loss to No. 8 Washington State in its opener cost UCLA a trip to the Rose Bowl. The Bruins' explosive offense averages 41 points per game and is third in the country in scoring. QB Cade McNown led the nation with a passing efficiency rating of 168.6, the highest mark ever by a Pac-10 player, and has thrown for more than 200 yards in each of his last 14 games.

BaseballDevil Rays: Activated IF Bobby Smith. Placed P Wilson Alvarez on 15-day DL.Red Sox: Activated SS Nomar Garciaparra from 15-day DL. Optioned P Joe Hudson and IF Keith Johns to Triple-A Pawtucket.Tigers: Recalled OF Kimera Bartee from Triple-A Toledo. Recalled IF Bill Ripken from rehabilitation assignment at Toledo and activated him from DL. Recalled C Raul Casanova from rehabilitation assignment and optioned him to Toledo. Optioned P Greg Keagle to Toledo. Placed IF-OF Bip Roberts on 15-day DL, retroactive to May 26.Yankees: Recalled P Todd Erdos from Triple-A Columbus.

BaseballAngels: Assigned P Jack McDowell to Triple-A Vancouver on a rehabilitation assignment.Brewers: Activated P Paul Wagner from the 15-day DL. Optioned P Bronswell Patrick to Triple-A Louisville.Dodgers: Recalled P Mike Judd from Triple-A Albuquerque.Expos: Optioned OF Ray Holbert to Triple-A Ottawa. Recalled P Jeremy Powell from Double-A Harrisburg.Giants: Placed C Brian Johnson (broken thumb) on the 15-day DL. Called up C Doug Mirabelli from Triple-A Fresno.Indians: Recalled OF Richie Sexson and P Ron Villone from Triple-A Buffalo.

Astros: Craig Biggio has hit in 31 of his past 39 games.Braves: Manager Bobby Cox is planning a closer-by-committee TC setup for a few games to give Mark Wohlers a chance to break out of his slump with less pressure. Wohlers surrendered a run in the eighth inning and has given up six hits, seven earned runs and eight walks in 6 2/3 innings since coming off the disabled list May 24. John Smoltz, who has been on the disabled list for 2 1/2 weeks with a sore elbow, will make a three-inning rehabilitation start today for Double-A Greenville.

BaseballBrewers: Placed OF Matt Mieske on the DL. Recalled OF Brian Banks from Triple-A Tucson.Cubs: Purchased the contract of P Miguel Batista from Triple-A Iowa.Padres: Placed P Jim Bruske on the 15-day DL. Recalled P Dario Veras from Triple-A Las Vegas.Pirates: Traded P Hal Garrett to the Los Angeles Dodgers for 1B Eddie Williams.Tigers: Placed P Brian Moehler on the 15-day Dl. Recalled P Eddie Gaillard from Triple-A Toledo.Pub Date: 8/10/97

Turkey in Toledo.That's what the elite Midwest riveters want after long workdays this week and last at Sparrows Point. They have a grueling job that is fading as surely as raising sail: replacing the rivets on the hull plates of an old Liberty ship, the SS John W. Brown.The 10 members of Local 85 of the Boilermakers Union at Toledo Ship Repair Co. have been working here instead of near their homes in Ohio and Michigan because the crew is one of the only ones left. Their rare skills are so much in demand that in January, they will head south to replace rivets in locks of the Panama Canal.

BaseballExpos: Recalled P Omar Daal from Triple-A Ottawa. Optioned C Raul Chavez to Ottawa.Giants: Optioned P Doug Creek to Triple-A Phoenix. Purchased contract of P John Johnstone from Phoenix.Indians: Activated P Paul Shuey from 15-day DL. Optioned OF Trenidad Hubbard to Triple-A Buffalo.Marlins: Recalled P Matt Whisenant from injury rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Charlotte.Tigers: Recalled P Greg Keagle from Triple-A Toledo. Optioned P Felipe Lira to Toledo. Returned Keagle to Toledo and purchased contract of P Roberto Duran from Double-A Jacksonville.

Angels: Activated IF Randy Velarde from 60-day DL. Recalled P Anthony Chavez from Triple-A Vancouver. Transferred P Mark Gubicza from 15-day to 60-day DL. Designated P Jeff Schmidt for assignment.Astros: Recalled OF Bob Abreu, OF Richard Hidalgo and IF Luis Rivera from Triple-A New Orleans. Optioned IF Russ Johnson and OF James Mouton to New Orleans. Transferred OF Ray Montgomery from 15-day DL to 60-day DL.Athletics: Recalled C Izzy Molina from Triple-A Edmonton.Braves: Recalled 1B Randall Simon from Triple-A Richmond.

BaseballAthletics: Placed P Ariel Prieto (shoulder) on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Aug. 23; recalled P Eric Ludwick from Triple-A Edmonton.Dodgers: Signed LHP Nial Hughes.Tigers: Optioned P Eddie Gaillard to Triple-A Toledo; will recall OF Bubba Trammell from Toledo today.White Sox: Purchased contract of OF Magglio Ordonez from Triple-A Nashville.BasketballLakers: Signed free-agent forward Rick Fox to one-year, $1 million contract.New England (ABL): Added C-F La'Shawn Brown to roster as tryout player.

Point guard Jay Greene and forward Darryl Proctor played integral roles last season in UMBC's run to the America East title. Yesterday, with their team trailing visiting Toledo by seven, the team's lone seniors made certain the Retrievers kept their stride. After a sluggish start, Greene scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half and Proctor added a key three-point play in the final minute, helping UMBC rally for a 61-56 win for its ninth straight victory at RAC Arena. "We weren't worried about trailing," Proctor said.

Bill Self, the Kansas basketball coach who guided the Jayhawks to their first NCAA men's title in 20 years, signed a 10-year, $30 million contract yesterday. The deal had been in the works since April, when the Jayhawks came from nine points down in the final minutes to beat Memphis for the title and he subsequently turned down an offer to return to Oklahoma State, his alma mater. Kansas and Self, 45, said in April he had agreed to the deal while the details were worked on. Kansas also agreed to big raises for his staff as well as improvements to the school's basketball facilities.

What's so funny about teaching children to read with comic books? Nothing at all, apparently. In fact, comic books are being used with some students as an alternative pathway to literacy by teachers across the country. Educators are discovering the colorful medium's potential for stimulating intellectual growth and expression among at-risk students at urban schools. Proponents of comic book use say students who are otherwise intimidated by pages swimming with text get hooked on reading.

Mount Carmel point guard Troy Franklin Jr. is set to announce his college choice at a news conference at 12:45 p.m. today at his high school. Franklin will choose among five schools: Central Florida, George Mason, St. Bonaventure, Toledo and Towson. Here's what Troy Franklin Sr. had to say about Towson: "Towson, with [head coach] Pat Kennedy and [assistant coach] Jim Meil, they really came off well. They're at every game, I mean every game, during the open period when they can be there.

Folks back in Clinton Township, Mich., know Jeff Deliz for a number of reasons. He was one of Chippewa Valley High's best athletes, he made Navy his college choice over Toledo, and he was a big Ohio State fan. Yes, right there in Wolverine country, where University of Michigan bluebloods live. Navy@Rutgers Tomorrow, 7 p.m., ESPN, 1090 AM, 1430 AM Line: Rutgers by 16 1/2

A woman was fatally injured late Friday when she was struck by a car while crossing Ritchie Highway in Pasadena, Anne Arundel County police said yesterday. About 11:30 p.m., the woman stepped into the southbound lane of the highway at Jumpers Hole Road and was struck by a 1996 Saturn driven by Jose Santos Toledo, 20, of no fixed address, police said. Police said witnesses reported that a small sport utility vehicle also might have hit the woman as she lay in the road. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

OAXACA, Mexico -- Rows of poinsettias are rising along the zocalo, where police and protesters recently brawled. Fresh coats of paint are being slapped on buildings to cover up angry graffiti. Even though the barricades have been removed and the blood has been mopped from the streets, this colonial-era city is struggling to recover from a violent spasm that scarred its buildings, traumatized its citizens and left as many as a dozen people dead over a seven-month span. "It's a tense calm," said Francisco Toledo, the Zapotec Indian considered by many to be Mexico's greatest living graphic artist.

WASHINGTON -- Three northwest Ohio men studied the use of suicide belts and homemade bombs in a plot to carry out attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq and other overseas targets, according to a five-count conspiracy indictment unsealed yesterday in Cleveland. The plot included plans to set up a dummy foundation to raise money, funneling funds and computers to co-conspirators in the Middle East, and recruiting at least two people for jihadist training, court papers state. Officials declined to say how advanced the plot was. But, in a sign of its importance to the Justice Department, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales and John Pistole, deputy FBI director, announced the charges in Washington.

GMAC Bowl Toledo (8-3) vs. UTEP (8-3) Site: -- Ladd Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Ala. Time -- 8 TV -- ESPN Line -- Toledo by 3 Key stats -- Toledo is No. 16 in total offense (445.2 ypg) and No. 22 in total defense (322.5 ypg). UTEP is No. 19 in total offense (438.0 ypg). Toledo -- QB Bruce Gradkowski (24 TDs, 11 interceptions, 62.6 completion percentage) is the triggerman for an explosive and efficient offense (34.9 ppg). There's a nice tailback duo in Trinity Dawson and Quinton Broussard.

Moves Baseball MARINERS: Activated P Gil Meche from 15-day DL. PIRATES: Purchased contracts of P Bryan Bullington, P Tom Gorzelanny and P Matt Capps from Triple-A Indianapolis. Called up 3B Jose Bautista and C Ronny Paulino from Indianapolis. Released P Corey Stewart. Designated OF Ray Sadler for assignment. Moved OF Chris Duffy from 15-day to 60-day DL. TIGERS: Recalled OF Marcus Thames and P Mark Woodyard from Triple-A Toledo. Purchased contract of P Jason Grilli from Toledo. Colleges CLEMSON: Announced that G Reggie Maddox will sit out women's basketball season to concentrate on academics.