NEW YORK — Change you can believe in: A minor league team is swapping its name in tribute to President-elect Barack Obama.

The Brooklyn Cyclones will change their name to the “Baracklyn Cyclones” for June 23 and give away Obama bobbleheads to the first 2,500 fans.

Special red-white-and-blue jerseys will be worn by players and auctioned during the game, with proceeds going to the Jackie Robinson Foundation. The team, a Class A affiliate of the New York Mets, will have an “Economic Stimulus Package” from Jan. 20 — Inauguration Day — until Jan. 23, selling tickets at $5-$10, matching the levels of its inaugural season in 2001. Regular prices are $8-15.

In addition, the first 1,000 fans get free Band-Aids as part of “Universal Health Care,” all fans named Barack get in for free, fans named McCain or Palin get free bleacher seats (“a bipartisan consolation prize”) and any plumber named Joe gets two free tickets.

Former manager dies

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The first manager in San Diego Padres’ history has died.

Preston Gomez was 85. He died Tuesday in Fullerton, Calif.

Gomez took over the expansion Padres in 1969 and later managed the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs. He was hit by a pickup truck last March in California and never fully recovered from head injuries.

Padres sign Mark Prior

SAN DIEGO — Right-hander Mark Prior, who has missed more than two full seasons because of shoulder problems, and infielder Chris Burke agreed to minor league contracts with the San Diego Padres on Tuesday and were invited to spring training.

Prior signed with the Padres as a free agent prior to the 2008 season but missed the entire year after undergoing surgery on his right shoulder on June 4, the latest medical setback to a once-promising career.

Prior also missed the 2007 season after undergoing surgery on the same shoulder that April.

PRO FOOTBALL

Peterson in Pro Bowl

RENTON, Wash. — Seahawks linebacker Julian Peterson is going to the Pro Bowl as an injury replacement for Tampa Bay’s Derrick Brooks.

The Seahawks said Tuesday that Peterson had gone from alternate to playing in the game next month. This will be his fifth Pro Bowl appearance and third in a row.

He will be the Seahawks’ only representative in Hawaii. Left tackle Walter Jones was selected for the ninth time but will not play. Jones recently had microfracture surgery on his knee.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Whittingham honored

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Utah coach Kyle Whittingham may have been the only coach to cast a No. 1 vote for his team. His fellow coaches gave him a consolation prize by naming him the American Football Coaches Association’s Coach of the Year in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Coaches voted for the top coach in each division during the AFCA convention.

The other coaches of the year included Mike London of Richmond in the Football Championship Subdivision, Mel Tjeerdsma of Northwest Missouri State in Division II, Larry Kehres of Mount Union in Division III and Kalen DeBoer of Sioux Falls in NAIA.

Aztecs hire Sipe

SAN DIEGO — Former NFL MVP Brian Sipe was hired as quarterbacks coach Tuesday at his alma mater, San Diego State.

It’s the first college coaching job for Sipe, who has spent the last eight seasons as the head coach at Santa Fe Christian High in nearby Solana Beach.

He’ll work under Brady Hoke, who was hired away from Ball State in December to replace the fired Chuck Long. Sipe was on the search committee that recommended Hoke’s hiring. The two had met about six years earlier when Hoke was on a recruiting trip.

Sipe starred at quarterback for San Diego State from 1969-71, then played for the Cleveland Browns for 10 seasons. He finished his career by playing two seasons in the USFL. He was the NFL MVP in 1980.

He led Santa Fe Christian High to four San Diego Section titles and was 75-21-1 overall.

HORSE RACING

Prized horse Indyanne euthenized

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The president of Hill ’n’ Dale Farms says multiple graded stakes-winning filly Indyanne has been euthanized after breaking an ankle during a race last month.

John Sikura announced the horse’s death Tuesday. He said in a statement that veterinarians determined it would have been inhumane to continue treatment.

The filly fractured a sesamoid in her left front ankle while leading down the stretch of the Grade I La Brea Stakes on Dec. 27 at Santa Anita Park.

Indyanne won her first four starts by a combined 32 1/2 lengths. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Indian Charlie earned $500,000 in her career.