Hill on DL, says he has torn labrum

The NHL Board of Governors has approved a $148 million bid by Jerry Reinsdorf to assume ownership of the financially troubled Phoenix Coyotes, and unanimously rejected an application by Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie to buy the team. The group headed by Reinsdorf, the owner of the White Sox and Bulls, was the only one of three applicants to gain the board’s unanimous approval. According to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, an application by a third group, led by Anthony LeBlanc of Thunder Bay, Ontario, was deemed incomplete. The board encouraged that consortium to continue with the application process.

Formula One driver Felipe Massa took his first steps since a high-speed crash last weekend left him near death. Massa’s father, Luiz Antonio, said his son had moved out of AEK hospital’s intensive care unit. “Felipe speaks, can sit upright and was even able to take his first steps,’’ Ferrari said in a statement. “From the clinical and radiological point of view, everything is going extremely well.’’ The Brazilian was hit in the helmet by a loose part from another car and crashed into a protective tire barrier at 120 miles per hour during qualifying Saturday at the Hungarian Grand Prix. He sustained skull fractures and a concussion. Seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher will replace Massa at the European GP Aug. 21-23 . . . Jeremy Mayfield’s stepmother sued the suspended NASCAR driver, claiming he made slanderous, false, and defamatory statements. Lisa Mayfield argues her stepson falsely accused her of killing his father (whose death was ruled a suicide in 2007) and taking money from NASCAR. She’s seeking compensatory and punitive damages. Her affidavit saying he used methamphetamine was part of a NASCAR filing asking the federal judge who lifted the driver’s drug suspension to reinstate the ban. Mayfield was suspended May 9 for failing a random drug test. The driver sued, and the lawsuit has been set for a jury trial Sept. 13, 2010.

The New Orleans Hornets signed forward Ike Diogu to a free agent contract, hoping he can provide solid backup minutes behind All-Star David West. Diogu, who was drafted ninth overall out of Arizona State by Golden State, played in 29 games last season for Portland and Sacramento. He averaged 4.1 points and 1.9 rebounds . . . In WNBA action, Jia Perkins had 18 points and Shyra Ely tied a career-high with 16 to lead the Sky (9-10) over the Sparks, 75-63, in Chicago. The Sparks (5-10) lost for the fourth time in five games despite 15 points from Delisha Milton-Jones.

Maria Sharapova needed just over an hour to beat 10th-ranked Nadia Petrova, 6-1, 6-2, in a second-round match of the $700,000 WTA Premier Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, Calif. The former world No. 1 player improved to 13-4 on the season and beat Petrova for the seventh time in eight meetings . . . Bradley Wiggins, 29, is prepared to release all of his drug-test results from the past 10 years to prove that his fourth-place finish in the Tour de France was not tainted. “I don’t want there to be any suspicion or doubt that what I did was natural,’’ he said . . . Tim Howard made six saves in regulation and stopped three penalty kicks to lead Everton of the Premier League over the Major League Soccer team to become the first international team to win the MLS All-Star Game, 4-3, in Sandy, Utah. The teams were tied, 1-1, after regulation. Howard, the US national team goalkeeper, was voted the most valuable player after stopping Seattle Sounders midfielder Freddie Ljunberg on the final penalty kick . . . In the WPS, Abby Wambach scored for the Freedom in the 73d minute to beat the Breakers, 1-0, in Boyds, Md. . . . Elsie Windes scored five goals, including the tiebreaker with 4:22 left, and the United States advanced to the championship game of women’s water polo with an 8-7 win over Greece in Rome. The US faces Canada for the gold medal tomorrow.