Cavs ink top picks

Waiters, Zeller

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed first-round draft picks Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller to their rookie contracts.

Financial terms of the deals were not immediately known.

The Cavs selected Waiters, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard from Syracuse, with the No. 4 overall pick last week. The choice surprised many experts and disappointed some Cleveland fans who had hoped the team would take Harrison Barnes or Thomas Robinson. Waiters didn’t even work out for the Cavs, who did extensive background research on him before taking the Big East’s top sixth man. Waiters didn’t start a game in two seasons for the Orange.

Cleveland picked the 7-foot Zeller at No. 17 after trading three picks to the Dallas Mavericks. Zeller was the ACC’s player of the year last season at North Carolina.

 

Indians planning

to honor Doby

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Indians are commemorating the 65th anniversary of Larry Doby breaking the AL’s color barrier by re-naming a street in honor of the Hall of Famer.

The team will unveil street signs on Larry Doby Way — formerly known as Eagle Ave. — which runs adjacent to Progressive Field, following Friday’s game against Tampa Bay. Members of Doby’s family will be on hand for the postgame ceremony, along with Jim “Mudcat” Grant, one of Doby’s teammates in Cleveland.

Also, the U.S. Postal Service is dedicating a stamp for Doby, who signed with the Indians in 1947.

Doby helped lead the Indians to a World Series title in 1948 — their last championship. A six-time All-Star, Doby was inducted in Cooperstown in 1998. He died in 2003 at age 79.

 

Fire damages

historic arena

HERSHEY, Pa. (AP) — A fire has broken out at the historic Pennsylvania arena where Wilt Chamberlain scored an NBA record 100 points in a game.

Officials say the fire started Thursday afternoon at the west end of the 75-year-old Hersheypark Arena in Derry Township.

The arena is owned by Hershey Entertainment & Resorts, founded when Milton S. Hershey separated his chocolate manufacturing from his other businesses.

Hershey spokesman Jim Shellenberger says workers were putting a new roof on the domed building, but it’s unclear if the work had anything to do with the fire. He says the roof isn’t in danger of collapse.

Workers have left the arena. No injuries are reported.

The arena opened in 1936 and is primarily used for youth hockey. Chamberlain scored 100 points there for the Philadelphia Warriors against the New York Knicks on March 2, 1962.