Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.sports,americast.usa-today.sports From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: sports Thu, Oct 29 1992 Date: Thu, 29 Oct 92 04:43:05 EST Message-ID: 10-29 0000 DECISIONLINE: Sports USA TODAY Update Oct. 29, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network LEYLAND IS NL MANAGER OF YEAR: Jim Leyland lost two of his best players but won anyway. As a result Wednesday, the Pittsburgh manager was named National League Manager of the Year for the second time in three seasons by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Leyland, who won the award in 1990, received 20 of 24 first-place votes. The Pirates lost Bobby Bonilla to free agency and John Smiley for financial reasons. GROUP UPS BID FOR GIANTS: The group attempting to purchase the Giants and keep them in San Francisco submitted a bid to the National League Wednesday for $100 million, $5 million more than their initial offer Oct. 12. No other details were announced. The NL said said it would continue to study the proposal alongside the $115 million bid from the Florida group, headed by Vincent J. Naimoli. PRESSURE BUILDS ON BILLS: As the NFL season hits its midpoint this weekend, pressure builds on perennial favorites, especially Buffalo. The Bills (5-2) haven't lost more than twice in the first half of a season since 1987. Their first-half record from 1988-91: 27-5. Other surprises at the turn: Pittsburgh (5-2); Minnesota (5-2); Indianapolis (4-3); Cleveland (4-3); San Diego (3-4). SANDERS IS QUESTIONABLE: The Atlanta Falcons don't know if they'll have the services of cornerback Deion Sanders Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams. Sanders had tests on his left foot Wednesday to find the cause of pain that had him limping for the Braves throughout the World Series. He is listed as questionable. BIRD RETURNS TO TV: Retired Boston Celtics star Larry Bird will be on television and radio next year, but not behind an analyst's microphone. Bird Wednesday signed with the Miller Brewing company to promote its responsible drinking program in a series of TV:radio commercials beginning in 1993. RED WINGS NIP SHARKS 4-3: Slumping Nicklas Lidstrom scored on a 55-foot shot with 6:13 left to allow the Detroit Red Wings to escape with a 4-3 win against the slumping San Jose Sharks. The Sharks have lost nine in a row. In other games: New Jersey 4, Hartford 3, OT; Buffalo 4, Toronto 4, OT; Montreal 4, Tampa Bay 3; Calgary 7, Winnipeg 5; Edmonton 5, Minnesota 2; Vancouver 4, Washington 3. STAKES ARE HIGH AT PINEHURST: Although first prize is $360,000, there will be a lot more at stake for several players when the $2 million Tour Championship starts Thursday at fabled Pinehurst (N.C.) Resort and Country Club. Player of the Year honors, the PGA Tour money title and coveted Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average are up for grabs for Fred Couples, Davis Love III, John Cook and Nick Price. NBA CLEANS UP ACT: NBA executives have decided to take action this season on down-and-dirty play. "We're getting to the outside limits (of what's acceptable) in the pivot. It's more sumo wrestling than it is basketball," says Rod Thorn, the NBA's vice president of operations. More fouls seem to be called this preseason, about 60 a game through last Sunday, as teams are experimenting with rosters. GOLD GLOVES HONORED: Rawlings will honor major league baseball's best defensive players with the 36th Rawlings Gold Glove Awards at a charity dinner Nov. 5 in New York. The dinner benefits the Baseball Assistance Team, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, American Cancer Society and Rawlings Memorial Scholarship Fund. For information, call 1-212-874-3165. FIGHTS ARE CANCELED: A tripleheader featuring WBC super welterweight champion Terry Norris, junior welterweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez and WBA super middleweight champion Michael Nunn, scheduled for Dec. 5 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, was canceled Wednesday. The card, to have been televised on pay-per-view by SET-KingVision, was dropped because of a rival non-pay-per-view card scheduled by HBO. BUBBA CLINTON GETS WIN: Bubba Clinton, a standardbred horse named after Democratic presidential nominee Bill Clinton, got to the winner's circle for the first time Tuesday, winning a harness race at Garden State Park in Cherry Hill, N.J., in a major upset. Bubba Clinton was sent off at odds of 37-1 and paid $75 to win, $17.40 to show and $4 to place. NOTRE DAME PLAYER RETURNS: Notre Dame basketball player Monty Williams was given medical clearance to resume his career, 2 1:2 years after he was forced to quit because of a heart defect. "The first thing I did was I hugged my mom, I hugged my stepdad, and then I just started praying," Williams said Wednesday. He has two years of eligibility remaining. COURIER GETS WIN: Jim Courier, in his first ATP Tour match in six weeks, beat Derrick Rostagno 6-1, 7-6 (7-2) Wednesday in the Stockholm (Sweden) Open. Pete Sampras, seeded No. 3 behind Courier and U.S. Open champ Stefan Edberg, also needed a second-set tiebreaker before winning his second-round match against Todd Woodbridge of Australia 6-2, 7-6 (8-6). 24-HOUR TELEPHONE INFORMATION: USA TODAY Sports Hot Line. 95 cents a minute. 1-900-555-5555. Sports Editor: Kate Coughlin. (919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. 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