Formula One race in Bahrain is off

The crown prince of Bahrain called off Formula One’s season-opening race Monday, handing another victory to protesters aiming to break the ruling dynasty’s stranglehold on power in the Persian Gulf kingdom.

Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa owns the rights to the grand prix and serves as commander of the armed forces in an island country where at least eight protesters have been killed in a week of unrest. Angry protesters, who see the Bahrain GP as particularly meaningful to him, wanted the March 13 race dropped.

Facing more demonstrations around an event that draws a worldwide TV audience of about 100 million in 187 countries, the crown prince told Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone by telephone that the race would not go ahead.

ETC.

Hahn recovering from surgery

Arizona State outfielder Cory Hahn underwent neck surgery after being injured while sliding during a game over the weekend.

Hahn, a freshman, was injured in the bottom of the first inning Sunday against New Mexico when he slid headfirst on a steal attempt and collided with second baseman Kyle Stiner’s knee. Hahn was taken off the field on a stretcher and to a hospital, where Arizona State officials say he is recovering slowly after undergoing surgery Sunday night.

Hahn was the Southern California player of the year last season at Santa Ana Mater Dei High.

Boston Red Sox Manager Terry Francona and Dodgers third base coach Tim Wallach are among seven former players and coaches elected to the College Baseball Hall of Fame.

Francona won the Golden Spikes Award at Arizona in 1980 before a 10-year major league playing career.

Wallach won the award at Cal State Fullerton in 1979 before a 17-year major league career.

Top-seeded Andy Roddick has withdrawn from this week’s Delray Beach Tennis Championships in Florida because of flu symptoms.

The eighth-ranked American complained of feeling ill before winning the Memphis title over Milos Raonic on Sunday.

The start times for the USC men’s basketball team’s final two regular-season games, against Washington State on March 3 and Washington on March 5, were announced by Pacific 10 Conference officials.

The March 3 game in Pullman, Wash., is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. and will not be televised. The March 5 game in Seattle is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. and will be televised on Fox Sports Net.

—Baxter Holmes

Doug Williams is returning to Grambling and will coach the Tigers’ football team.

Grambling spokeswoman Debra Johnson said that the school is “in the process of making the announcement” that Williams will be the university’s next coach.

Williams, a former Grambling quarterback, was the most valuable player of Super Bowl XXII with the Washington Redskins.

He later succeeded Eddie Robinson as coach at his alma mater, winning three consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference titles during his stint from 1998 to 2003.

The Miami Dolphins hired three-time Pro Bowl linebacker Bryan Cox as the team’s pass rush coach, bringing him back to the franchise that drafted him 20 years ago.