SIDELINES : Farwell to Manage NHL’s Flyers

Russ Farwell had a long way to jump, but he made it today, becoming general manager of the Philadelphia Flyers.

Farwell, 34, became the first general manager to leap from junior hockey to the NHL in 23 years. He has been general manager of the Seattle Thunderbirds.

Farwell succeeds Bob Clarke, hero of the Flyers’ Stanley Cup teams of the ‘70s and general manager for six years, who was fired after the team missed the playoffs for the first time in 18 years.

Farwell, a Calgary native, was general manager at Medicine Hat of the World Hockey League for six years, his teams winning two straight Memorial Cups. He took over Seattle in April, 1988, after the team finished 25-42-2. They improved to 33-35-4 in his first year and 52-17-3 in the last season, second best in the league.