76er Coach Billy Cunningham Expected to Announce Resignation Today

Billy Cunningham, who won the hearts of Philadelphia basketball fans as a player in the 1960s and coach in the ‘70s and ‘80s, has resigned after eight seasons as the 76ers’ coach, a source close to Cunningham told the Associated Press Monday night.

The source said the NBA team, which fell to the Boston Celtics, four games to one, in the Eastern Conference finals this year, will announce the resignation today.

Earlier Monday, team spokesman Harvey Pollack said the 76ers will make a major announcement at a news conference this morning. Pollack declined to reveal the topic.

Neither Cunningham nor 76ers General Manager Pat Williams was at home late Monday night for comment.

Cunningham, who helped lead the 76ers to an NBA title as a player in 1967 and as a coach in 1983, has a 454-196 mark in eight season as Philadelphia’s coach. He reached 200, 300 and 400 wins faster than any coach before him.

He was one of the best sixth men in basketball until a knee injury 20 games in the 1975-76 season forced him to retire as a player. He averaged 20.8 points per game in his NBA career.

He began coaching the 76ers Nov. 4, 1977.

Forzando II, an English-bred longshot who had made all but one of his previous starts on grass, stunned a star-studded field Monday by taking the lead at the top of the stretch and pulling away to a 5-length victory in the $301,000 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park.

The 4-year-old colt, who had run five races in California and his other 18 overseas, took advantage of a speed duel that involved six of the eight horses in the field as he covered the mile in 1:34 2/5.

Mo Exception, longest shot in the field and the only other colt to stay out of the duel, finished second with favored Track Barron third, 1 lengths further back.

The race was a measure of vindication for Forzando’s jockey, Don MacBeth, who was removed from Chief’s Crown after he rode the horse to a third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby and a second in the Preakness, both as the favorite. Richard Migliore, removed from Eternal Prince after a 12th-place finish in the Derby, was aboard Mo Exception.

Forzando II, who paid $49.20, $18 and $5.40, had won his only other race on dirt, an allowance race at Santa Anita on March 3.

American cyclist Tom Resh of Los Angeles was reported in stable condition Monday night after a brush with death following a crash in the round-Britain Milk race.

“Resh was having difficulty breathing and was turning blue,” said English team manager Eddie White. “The ambulance was on its way, but a doctor fortunately arrived first, otherwise I am sure Resh would have died. He had swallowed his tongue and the doctor had to open his mouth to pull it out. “

He was hospitalized with fractured ribs, lung damage and lacerations on his back. He was expected to remain in the hospital at least four days.

Ed Andrews of Huntington Beach rallied from a first-game loss to beat Dan Obremski of North Huntington, Pa., 11-15, 15-7, 11-6, Sunday to win the men’s open title in the American Amateur Racquetball Assn. national singles championships in Houston.

Andrews, 28, is the oldest player ever to win in the open division.

Cindy Baxter of Lewistown, Pa., defeated defending champion Marci Drexler of North Hollywood in the women’s open division, 15-11, 15-11. Drexler beat Baxter on the same court to win the title in 1984.

Vojislav Vuckevic scored on a header with one second left to give the Cosmos a 2-2 tie with World Club Champion Independiente of Argentina in an international soccer match in East Rutherford, N.J.

National Hockey League President John Ziegler said during his annual state of the league press conference in Edmonton that the league is in the best shape it has been in the last five years.

“Five or six teams will make at least $1 million or $2 million. And seven or eight will make a profit. The rest may make a little or lose a little,” Ziegler said.

Names in the News

Gymnast Mary Lou Retton, 17, said in an interview with the Baltimore Sun that she will not compete in the 1988 Olympics, but would like to work at the Games as a commentator.

Ed Carroll, 34, Cal State Fullerton associate athletic director, is expected to be named the school’s athletic director at a press conference today.