Mateen Cleaves" brother killed in drive-by

FLINT (AP) The brother of Detroit Pistons guard Mateen Cleaves was shot and killed yesterday in a drive-by shooting.

Police said two vehicles passed by a Flint home and opened fire, shooting Herbert Cleaves, 27, in the abdomen. He was taken to Hurley Medical Center in Flint, where he was pronounced dead.

No arrests were reported.

Mateen Cleaves was with his family yesterday, Pistons spokesman Matt Dobek said. The rookie guard joined the Pistons after playing on Michigan State"s 2000 NCAA championship team.

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo learned about the shooting yesterday morning and told his team before the start of their game against Iowa in East Lansing, Spartans spokesman John Lewandowski said.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Cleaves family," Lewandowski said. "It"s a tragedy that nobody should have to deal with."

Milwaukee Braves" Hall of famer dies in sleep

SAN DIEGO (AP) Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews, who teamed with Hank Aaron to give the Braves a fearsome home run punch and Milwaukee its only World Series championship, died yesterday. He was 69.

Mathews died in his sleep at Scripps La Jolla hospital, his wife, Judy, said. He had been hospitalized since Sept. 3, when she took him to the emergency room after he had trouble breathing.

"He worked so hard to get better," Judy Mathews said. "He just gave out."

Mathews died of complications of pneumonia, said his son, Eddie Jr., an anesthesiologist at Waukesha (Wis.) Memorial Hospital. Mathews also had congestive heart failure, although that didn"t play a significant role his death, his son said.

Mathews hit 512 home runs, was one of baseball"s greatest third basemen and the only person to play for the Braves in Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta. Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1978, he had lived in Del Mar, north of San Diego, for several years.

Mathews had been in fragile health since being seriously hurt in an accident while on a Caribbean cruise in December 1996.