Malone Goes Back to Philadelphia

Moses Malone, one of the most beloved players in the history of the Philadelphia 76ers, is returning to the team he helped lead to the 1983 NBA title.

The 76ers said the homecoming for the 38-year-old center will be announced at a news conference today.

Malone, a 17-year veteran, became an unrestricted free agent after spending the last two seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks.

He appeared in only 11 games last season after undergoing back surgery. The Bucks bought out next season’s portion of his contract, rather than be obligated to him more than $2 million.

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Jim Jackson, guard for the Dallas Mavericks, was acquitted of all charges stemming from a December incident in which four people accused him of waving a gun at them.

Jackson was accused of pointing a gun at the four and shouting racial slurs as they were driving down a Columbus, Ohio, street on Dec. 30, 1992. Jackson and his accusers all are black.

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Armon Gilliam, a 6-foot-9 forward who played last season with the Philadelphia 76ers, signed with the New Jersey Nets.

Gilliam averaged 12.4 points and 5.9 rebounds a game last season for the 76ers.

Boxing

Ray Mercer, facing a court fight involving his integrity, returns to the boxing ring tonight.

The 1988 Olympic heavyweight champion will fight Tony Willis at Bay St. Louis, Miss., in his first bout since a controversial loss to Jesse Ferguson on Feb. 6 in New York.

Mercer was arraigned July 30 on a charge of attempting to bribe Ferguson to lose during that 10-round bout at Madison Square Garden.

Marc Ratner was named executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Hockey

The Mighty Ducks signed a three-year working agreement with the San Diego Gulls of the International Hockey League, team officials announced.

Harold Snepsts, who played 17 years as a defenseman in the NHL, was hired as coach of the Gulls. He replaces Rick Dudley, who has become director of professional scouting for the Kings.

The Detroit Red Wings have renegotiated a contract with Steve Yzerman that will give him a raise of more than $1 million next season, the Detroit News reported.

Indiana Pacers executive Greg Jamison was named executive vice president and chief operating officer of the San Jose Sharks.

The 1994 U.S. Olympic hockey team will include 19 college players, four minor league professionals and two major junior players, Coach Tim Taylor said. The team will be led by 1992 Olympians Ted Drury and Mike Dunham and 1988 Olympian Peter Laviolette.

The Montreal Canadiens gave Coach Jacques Demers a new four-year contract to replace the two years he had on his old deal.

Miscellany

Steve Woods of San Jose won the men’s title by two strokes, helping lift the United States men to the team title in the first Japan-U.S. Student Goodwill golf tournament at Tsu, Japan.

The United States won the team competition by five strokes with a 46-over-par total of 622.

Captain Betsy Dougherty scored four goals, leading the defending champion United States to a 17-2 victory over the Czech Republic and into the semifinals of the women’s lacrosse World Cup at Edinburgh, Scotland. The Americans will face Australia for a spot in the championship.

Names in the News

Bill Sage, who has run the American Professional Soccer League for the past two years, will resign to join the U.S. Soccer Federation and help develop a plan for a major national soccer league. . . . Funeral services will be held today for Bert Edward Johnson, a University of Kentucky and pro football star of the 1930s who died Tuesday at 81.