NCAA: Syracuse's McRae ineligible
The NCAA has rejected Syracuse's appeal to restore the eligibility of suspended center Conrad McRae. The ruling yesterday means the junior's career as an Orangemen seemingly has ended. However, the NCAA Eligibility Committee said it would recommend that if McRae decides to transfer to another school, he will be immediately eligible to play.
The committee unanimously believed that Syracuse gained TC substantial advantage during the recruitment of McRae, said Robert Sweazy, a faculty athletics representative from Texas Tech University and chairman of the committee.
Pro basketball
Magic Johnson, who retired from the NBA last month after disclosing he was infected with the virus that causes AIDS, has signed a contract with Random House to write three books, including his autobiography and a guide to responsible sexual behavior, the publishing firm said yesterday. Retired U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop would collaborate with Johnson on the sexual guide, with proceeds to go to the new Magic Johnson Foundation to support education, care and research in AIDS and related subjects.
College basketball
Associated Press reporter Beth Harris said she was prevented from entering Indiana locker room Tuesday night, while attempting to get player comment after the Hoosiers' game against Notre Dame. "It's our policy to deny access to members of the opposite sex to all locker room areas," said Kit Klingelhoffer, Indiana sports information director. He said the university's policy is to make players available outside the facility to reporters of the opposite sex.
However, Harris said that she asked sports personnel to request interviews with two players for her, but coach Bob Knight told the staff not to make special accommodations.
Pro football
San Francisco 49ers defensive end Kevin Fagan said he won't be able to play Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. Fagan, who missed Sunday's game against New Orleans, had been listed as questionable with a bruised left kneecap.
Hockey
The NHL has received the Tampa Bay Lightning's long-awaited $22.5 million partial expansion payment, league president John A. Ziegler announced at the NHL Board of Governor's winter meetings in West Palm Beach, Fla. The Ottawa Senators, the other expansion team to begin play next year, has put its first payment in a bank escrow account, but the Tampa Bay group was having problems. The Lightning, headed by general manager and president Phil Esposito, missed the first deadline on June 15.
Ziegler also said the NHL will not institute mandatory AIDS testing for players in the wake of doctor's report that an AIDS-infected woman said she had sex with dozens of players.
Golf
The teams of Ted Schulz-Jane Crafter and Mike Hulbert-Laura Davies matched scores of 7-under-par 64 Thursday to share the first-round lead in the J.C. Penney Golf Classic in Tarpon Springs, Fla. The teams of Ed Humenik-Elaine Crosby, Ken Green-Barb Bunkowsky and Davis Love III-Beth Daniel were tied for third place, two strokes behind the leaders. Love and Daniel are the defending champions.
* Mark McNulty of Zimbabwe started hot on an unusually cool day, shooting a 6-under-par 66 in the first round of the $1 Million Golf Challenge in Sun City, South Africa. McNulty's round, one stroke shy of the tournament record, gave him a one-stroke lead over Australian Steve Elkington. Bernhard Langer of Germany was another stroke back in the quest for golf's biggest top prize, $1 million.
Tennis
Boris Becker of Germany survived an early scare against Dutchman Jan Siemerink and won, 7-6 (7-0), 6-3, to reach the quarterfinals of the European Community Championship in Antwerp, Belgium. Aaron Krickstein beat Patrick McEnroe, 6-1, 6-4, in an all-American battle that lasted a little over an hour.
Boxing
Baltimore middleweight Percy Harris, who had been scheduled to fight a six-round preliminary bout at the Pikesville Armory Wednesday night, opted for a championship match in Milan, Italy, the same day. He will be returning home tomorrow with the International Boxing Federation Intercontinental title. Harris (15-2) won a 12-round decision over Thomas Tate of Houston to claim the title that had been vacated by Miodrag Perunovic of Yugoslavia.
The Maryland State Athletic Commission is considering whether to suspend Harris for failing to appear here for his scheduled fight against Fabian Garcia of Rockville.
Soccer
The U.S. organizers of the 1994 World Cup finals are planning to stage the tournament at 12 different venues spread across the country, said Alan Rothenberg, president of the U.S. Soccer Federation and chairman of the U.S. World Cup organizing committee.
Rothenberg said a decision on the venues should be made by the end of March next year. Of 26 cities that applied to host World Cup matches, 19 remain on the short list.