Around the world
Thursday, July 15, 1999
The Atlanta Hawks signed their two first-round draft choices yesterday -- Jason Terry, the point guard from Arizona and Seattle's Franklin High School who is expected to replace the traded Mookie Blaylock, and forward-center Cal Bowdler of Old Dominion.
Both rookies signed three-year guaranteed contracts with a team option for a fourth year.
Terry was taken with the 10th overall pick in the June NBA draft. His agent, Larry Fox, would not confirm the terms of his deal, but it was believed to be worth about $4.73 million over three years.
Virginia athletic director Terry Holland flew to Minneapolis yesterday amid reports he's on the verge of becoming Clem Haskins' replacement as basketball coach. Midwest Sports Channel said Holland would probably be offered a seven-year contract worth about $1 million a season to replace Haskins, who resigned in wake of a massive academic fraud scandal.
The Tournament of the Americas pre-Olympic qualifying tournament began yesterday in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where Uruguay -- the United States' opponent in its first game today -- opened with an 87-84 overtime victory over Cuba.
Former Indiana basketball star Luke Recker, injured in a weekend traffic accident outside Durango, Colo., will be released from the hospital today but faces surgery for a broken wrist tomorrow in Indianapolis. Recker, who transferred to Arizona after last season, already has had surgery for a severely lacerated left ear. The break in a small bone in his left wrist was discovered after a review of X-rays when swelling in the wrist did not subside.
North Carolina forward Vasco Evtimov has officially ended his collegiate career by signing a contract to play professionally in Greece.
Former NHL player Steve Ludzik was named yesterday to replace Jacques Demers as head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Ludzik spent the last three seasons in the International Hockey League coaching the Detroit Vipers, also owned by new Lightning owner William Davidson. He also was an assistant coach there for a year under Rick Dudley, now the vice president of hockey operations for the Lightning, before leading the Vipers to a pair of appearances in the IHL's Turner Cup Finals.
The sale of the Lightning to a group led by Davidson was finalized last month.
Demers led the Lightning for a little less than two seasons, finishing with the NHL's worst record each year, including a 19-54-9 mark last winter. He had three years remaining on his contract.
Four-time All-Star center Pierre Turgeon, who led the St. Louis Blues in scoring in the postseason and is on the verge of joining the elite 1,000-point club, signed a two-year contract with the club. Financial terms were not disclosed but Turgeon earned $4.65 million last season, his third with the Blues.
Pat Quinn, who steered the Toronto Maple Leafs to the 1999 Eastern Conference finals in his first year as coach, will also take on the role of general manager. Quinn's new contract runs through the 2001-2002 season, concurrent with his agreement to coach the team. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Mario Lemieux was granted an additional 10 days, until July 26, to complete his proposal to buy the bankrupt Pittsburgh Penguins and work out details with investors. The Hall of Fame center has put together a $50 million plan to buy the team.
The NHL announced yesterday it will open its 1999-2000 campaign eight days earlier than this past season in an effort to prevent the Stanley Cup finals from running past mid-June. The NHL's 83rd regular season is scheduled to begin on Oct. 1 and end on April 9, with the playoffs to begin three days later. Last season began on Oct. 9 and ended on April 18. The Stanley Cup finals didn't end until June 19.
Even though figure skater Michelle Kwan won a silver medal at the Olympic Games, she's good as gold on Madison Avenue.
Kwan edged out fellow figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi in a survey that asked 1,000 advertising and marketing executives to pick a female athlete they would like to pitch their product. Olympic downhill skier Picabo Street finished third in the poll, followed by soccer star Mia Hamm.
The survey conducted by Chicago-based Burns Sports Celbrity Service was taken before Hamm helped the U.S. win the Women's World Cup last weekend.
Amoroso and Rivaldo scored goals as Brazil beat Mexico 2-0 last night in a semifinal game in the Copa America soccer tournament in Paraguay. Uruguay, which beat Chile 5-3 on penalty kicks after the teams finished 1-1 Tuesday night, will play the 2998 World Cup runners-up in the championship game Sunday.
Midfielder Mark Chung of the New York-New Jersey MetroStars has been named to replace injured teammate Tab Ramos at the MLS All-Star game Saturday in San Diego.
Marlene Weingartner of Germany upset top-seeded Arantxa Sanchez Vicario of Spain 6-4, 6-4 yesterday in advancing to the quarterfinals of the Polish Open women's tennis tournament in Sopot, Poland.
Former world drivers' champion Damon Hill ended speculation about his retirement yesterday and announced he would race for the remainder of the season for the Jordan Formula One team.
