Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.sports From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: sports Wed, Apr 8 1992 Date: Wed, 8 Apr 92 05:46:40 EDT Message-ID: 04-08 0000 DECISIONLINE: Sports USA TODAY Update April 8, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network BRAVES WIN OPENER: The defending National League champion Atlanta Braves won their opener Tuesday 2-0 over the Houston Astros behind 1991 Cy Young Award winner Tom Glavine. Glavine gave up just two hits, struck out nine and walked two. In other NL games: Chicago 4, Philadelphia 3; Cincinnati 4, San Diego 2; St. Louis 9, New York 2; Los Angeles 2, San Francisco 0. YANKEES BEAT CLEMENS, RED SOX: The New York Yankees opened the season on a good note Tuesday, beating the Boston Red Sox and Roger Clemens 4-3. Danny Tartabull drove in the fourth, and ultimately winning, run, making a winner of new manager Buck Showalter in his debut. In other AL games: Chicago 10, California 4; Texas 4, Seattle 0. INJURY BUG STRIKES: With the season just two days old, injuries have hit some big names in baseball. Tuesday, Lenny Dykstra of the Philadelphia Phillies suffered a broken left wrist against Chicago Cubs. Dykstra broke a bone when he was hit by a pitch in the first inning but played the rest of the game. Also, Andres Galarraga of St. Louis cracked a bone in his right wrist when hit by a pitch. MICHIGAN, DUKE TO MEET AGAIN: Michigan has to wait until December to avenge its loss to Duke Monday in the NCAA basketball final. The teams play in Durham, N.C. The Blue Devils lose Christian Laettner and Brian Davis. Michigan returns center Chris Webber and the rest of its Fab Five freshmen. "None of us will move on," Webber promised, "until we win a national championship. Or a Big Ten championship." OLYMPIC CHOICES TO COME: It will be at least two weeks before USA Basketball begins to discuss which college player or players it will choose to join the NBA players on the U.S. Olympic team, but specualtion has begun. The college players whose names have been mentioned most often are Shaquille O'Neal of Louisiana State, Christian Laettner of Duke, Alonzo Mourning of Georgetown and Jimmy Jackson of Ohio State. DUKE TOPS FINAL POLL: Duke rests atop the final USA TODAY:CNN Top 25 Coaches Poll in college basketball following its 71-51 win over Michigan Monday in the NCAA final. The rest of the top 10: No. 2, Indiana (27-7); No. 3, Michigan (25-8); No. 4, Ohio St. (26-6); No. 5, Cincinnati (29-5); No. 6, Kentucky (29-7); No. 7 Kansas (27-5); No. 8, UCLA (28-5); No. 9, Oklahoma St. (28-8); No. 10, Arkansas (26-8). HAWKS DOWN NETS: The Atlanta Hawks beat the New Jersey Nets 104-97. In other games: Detroit 103, New York 94; Orlando 135, Charlotte 110; Miami 100, Washington 89; Boston 100, Cleveland 97; LA Clippers 115, Minnesota 108; Chicago 116, Milwaukee 101; Houston 95, San Antonio 92; Utah 124, Denver 101; Portland 110, Golden State 101; Seattle 117, LA Lakers 88; Phoenix 103, Sacramento 101. OWNERS' OFFER REJECTED: Hopes for hockey being played again this season seem to have ended Tuesday when NHL player representatives and the bargaining committee unanimously rejected an owners' offer. The players declared an impasse and withdrew their most recent offer. Players were informed by NHL PResident John Ziegler that rejecting the offer meant the end of the season and playoffs. ODDS AGAINST TESTING: Don Catlin, head of a drug-testing lab at UCLA that's accredited by the International Olympic Committee, says odds are 60-40 against the IOC implementing blood testing in time for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. He says it is more likely blood will be tested at the 1994 Winter Games. AGASSI LOSES, CONNORS WINS: Andre Agassi lost his 1992 clay-court debut Tuesday to 94th-ranked Jacco Eltingh, 6-4, 1-6, 1-6 in Barcelona. Agassi is 4-6 in 1992 tournament matches. Also, Jimmy Connors won his opening-round match in the Japan Open in Tokyo, beating Byron Black of Zimbabwe 7-6 (7-5), 6-3. Top-seeded Stefan Edberg beat Kelly Evernden of New Zealand 6-3, 6-4. TROUBLE FOR STARS & STRIPES: Kanza survived a bump from Team Dennis Conner's Stars & Stripes to grab first place in the defender semifinals. After colliding with Kanza - and the mark - on its approach to the final, downwind leg, defending America's Cup champion Dennis Conner lost by 57 seconds, and fell behind 5-4 in the standings. In order to make the finals, Conner must win two of his next three matches. MASTERS NEARS: As Thursday's opening round of The Masters golf tournament in Augusta, Ga., nears, debate centers on a "them against us" attitude between foreign and U.S. players. Tom Watson said Tuesday, "This is not healthy for golf. This is great at the Ryder Cup, that's a team event. But it doesn't belong at The Masters." Foreign players have won The Masters the last four years. BOWE STOPS NELSON: Heavyweight title contender Riddick Bowe of the USA stopped Canadian Conroy Nelson at 1:16 of the first round Tuesday at Atlantic City. Bowe is looking for a bout with Evander Holyfield if the heavyweight champion gets by Larry Holmes June 19. Also, Julio Cesar Chavez defends his WBC junior welterweight title against Angel Hernandez Friday. 24-HOUR TELEPHONE INFORMATION: USA TODAY Sports Hot Line. 95 cents a minute. 1-900-555-5555. Sports Editor: Jason P. Smith. (919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. 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