Sports in Brief: Smith selling '68 Olympic gold medal

Tommie Smith is selling the gold medal he won during the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, where his black-gloved salute on the podium shocked the sports world.

The former San Jose State University runner put his gold medal for the 200-meter race and running shoes up for auction at New York-based M.I.T. Memorabilia. Bidding starts at $250,000; the sale is scheduled to close Nov. 4. The 66-year-old Smith, who lives in Georgia, declined to comment Tuesday to the San Jose Mercury News.

BASEBALL: Fredi Gonzalez took over Wednesday as the Atlanta Braves' new manager, succeeding Bobby Cox - the fourth-winningest skipper in baseball history.

Cox, the Braves' manager since 1990, led the team to an unprecedented 14 consecutive division titles and the 1995 World Series championship. Gonzalez served as Cox's third-base coach from 2003 to '06.

Former Pirates minor-league manager Dale Sveum, an ex-Phillie, interviewed to succeed John Russell as Pittsburgh's manager.

BASKETBALL: Washington guard Gilbert Arenas was fined an undisclosed amount by the Wizards for faking a knee injury.

Coach Flip Saunders said Arenas missed Tuesday's preseason game because of a sore left knee. But Arenas revealed afterward that he pretended to have a bum knee to give Nick Young a chance to start.

Yao Ming played 19 minutes while easing back from foot surgery, scoring nine points as the Houston Rockets defeated the New Jersey Nets, 91-81, in a preseason game in Beijing.

GOLF: Alexandra Frazier of Haverford will play Mina Hardin of Fort Worth, Texas, Thursday in the final of the USGA Senior Women's Amateur at Fiddlesticks in Fort Myers, Fla.

Frazier reached the finals with a 2-and-1 victory over Patty Moore of Charlotte, N.C. Frazier advanced through qualifying as the 64th and final competitor. She defeated defending champion Sherry Herman in the quarterfinals.

COLLEGES: A committee that included St. Joseph's men's basketball coach Phil Martelli chose Camden Catholic High graduate Tim Higgins, a senior from Merchantville, to serve as the Hawk mascot for 2010-11.

Council Rock South graduate Nick Martino, a junior from Holland, Bucks County, was named the Hawk mascot for the women's basketball team.

Beth Wheeler was hired as women's lacrosse coach at Gwynedd-Mercy College. She had been a field hockey and lacrosse assistant at Kutztown since 2007.

SOCCER: California forward Alex Morgan is the only college player on the roster for the women's World Cup qualifying tournament this month.

Veterans Kristine Lilly, the only player to play in all five women's World Cups, and Abby Wambach also are on the 20-woman team announced by U.S. coach Pia Sundhage. The team includes Independence forward Amy Rodriguez, defender Heather Mitts, and midfielder Lori Lindsey; and Sky Blue FC midfielder Carli Lloyd of Delran.

AUTO RACING: Three-time Cup champion David Pearson was chosen for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, receiving 94 percent of a 53-person panel's vote.

The other inductees: three-time Daytona 500 winner Bobby Allison; 54-race winner Lee Petty; two-time Cup champ Ned Jarrett; and team owner Bud Moore.

- Staff and wire reports