Howard Jumps 7-8 1/2 for American Record

Jimmy Howard of Alvin, Tex., won the high jump at 7 feet 8 1/2 inches to set a U.S. record in the Rice University Meet of Champions at Houston.

Howard, formerly of Texas A&M;, broke the record of 7-8, set last year by Dwight Stones and equaled this year by Dennis Lewis of Long Beach City College.

Howard, representing the Pacific Coast Club, was unsuccessful in three tries at 7-9 1/2.

The world record is 7-10, set last year by Zhu Jianhua of China.

Darrell Waltrip overcame a huge lead by Harry Gant to win The Winston Auto Race at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway a split second before his engine blew.

By winning the inaugural 105-mile event involving the 12 NASCAR Winston Cup winners from last season, Waltrip earned $200,000.

In last year’s Indianapolis 500, winner Rick Mears earned $434,060.96.

With 27 laps to go, Waltrip trailed Gant by four seconds. Waltrip took the lead entering the third turn of the next-to-last lap. On the 70th lap, with the checkered flag in sight, Waltrip shook his fist at the crowd of 133,200, crossed the finish line, and then the engine blew.

Finishing third in the $500,000 event was Terry Labonte.

Andy MacDonald, assistant coach for the Minnesota Vikings, died Friday from an apparent heart attack while jogging with his wife in Ludington State Park at Ludington, Mich., authorities said Saturday.

MacDonald, 55, a native of Flint, Mich., who played quarterback for Central Michigan, was formerly an assistant coach for the Seattle Seahawks and the Buffalo Bills.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Tiffany Cohen of the United States won the women’s 200- and 400-meter freestyle events, but rising American star Matt Biondi was upset by Frenchman Stephan Caron in the men’s 100 freestyle in an international swimming meet at Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Cohen had clockings of 2:03.73 in the 200 and 4:14.78 in the 400 as Americans swept both events. Kathleen Nord, one of East Germany’s hopefuls for the 1988 Olympic Games at Seoul, South Korea, finished fourth in the 400.

Caron won the men’s 100 in 51.38, followed by Biondi in 51.41.

Names in the News

Former Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes, 72, continued to be listed in good condition at Columbus, Ohio, after suffering a mild stroke last Wednesday.