Agassi Gets First-Round Davis Cup Penalty

Andre Agassi was barred from the first round of the 1994 Davis Cup for pulling out of his meaningless final singles match against the Bahamas three weeks ago at Charlotte, N.C. The International Tennis Federation also fined the U.S. Tennis Assn. $1,500 for Agassi’s withdrawal, which came on the last day of the United States’ 5-0 sweep.

When Mark Knowles of the Bahamas pulled out of Sunday’s “reverse” singles for medical reasons, Agassi refused to play his replacement, John Farrington, a teaching pro in the Bahamas.

The USTA said it will appeal the suspension, but not the fine. “When the Bahamas failed to field a competitor of professional tour level, the USTA could not object to Agassi’s refusal to play,” USTA President J. Howard (Bumpy) Frazer said.

The ITF noted that Agassi’s withdrawal was made without the approval of the referee, in violation of Davis Cup rules. The one-match suspension and fine are automatic punishments for such an infringement.

Golf

Tom Purtzer, Keith Clearwater and Ted Tryba shot eight-under-par 64s to share the first-round lead of the Walt Disney World-Oldsmobile Golf Classic at Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

U.S. Open champion Lee Janzen and two-time U.S. Open champion Curtis Strange were a stroke back. Defending champion John Huston shot 69.

Hockey

The Kings made two roster moves, sending defenseman Brent Thompson to their International Hockey League affiliate in Phoenix for a two-week conditioning assignment and calling up defenseman Dominic Lavoie from Phoenix.

Thompson, who appeared in 30 games with the Kings last season, is recovering from off-season abdominal surgery. Lavoie had a goal and two assists for Phoenix Wednesday night and had three assists in two games with the Kings during the exhibition season.

The Kings also announced the signing of goaltender Robb Stauber, who agreed to a new contract last month. The three-year deal is worth about $1.5 million.

Soccer

World Cup veterans Tony Meola, Desmond Armstrong and Chris Henderson and two others signed with the U.S. national soccer team. Dominic Kinnear and Brad Friedel also agreed to terms, bringing all 20 players at training camp under contract.

Meola was the starting goalie for the 1990 U.S. World Cup team in Italy. Armstrong, now a sweeper but a midfielder in 1990, also started all three games in Italy.

Rildo Menezes resigned as coach of the Los Angeles Salsa of the American Professional Soccer League.

Motorsports

Al Unser Jr., the 1992 Indianapolis 500 winner and a former Indy car PPG Cup champion, will join Emerson Fittipaldi and Paul Tracy next season on the powerful Marlboro Team Penske. All three will drive 1994 team-built chassis powered by the new Ilmor Indy V8 engine.

Bobby Dotter set a Grand National track record of 174.390 m.p.h. to grab the pole for Saturday’s All Pro Auto Parts 300 stock car race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.

Darrell Waltrip led second-day qualifiers for Sunday’s Mello Yello 500 with a lap of 174.143 m.p.h. at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Basketball

Luther Wright, Utah’s first-round draft choice, underwent cardiac testing after complaining of heart irregularities during a rookie practice session. The 22-year-old center from Seton Hall was sent to the team’s internist for tests.

The Detroit Pistons waived Mark Aguirre, a 12-year veteran. Last season, Aguirre averaged 9.9 points. His career average is 20.4.

Chris Mullin will miss the start of the Golden State Warriors’ training camp so he can remain with his seriously ill mother. Mullin has been in New York for the past several weeks to be with his mother, Eileen, who is battling cancer. Mullin’s father, Rod, died of cancer two years ago.

Miscellany

Eleven Chinese athletes failed drug tests during last month’s National Games, but Wang Junxia and Qu Yunxia, the two female distance runners who shattered world records were not among them, the official Xinhua News Agency reported in Beijing.

A teen-age felon who was released from jail to attend high school in Sheboygan, Wis., can’t rejoin the football team, the school board decided Thursday night.

Damon Green, 17, is serving a 10-month jail sentence as an adult for pointing a loaded gun at a man during a fight.

Names in the News

Tonya Winfield, the wife of Minnesota Twin outfielder Dave Winfield, has filed a complaint with the Maryland Public Service Commission charging that a Baltimore cabdriver refused to give her, her husband and relatives a ride, but moments later picked up six white men. . . . Lisa Fernandez of UCLA, a four-time All-American softball player at UCLA, has been named one of 10 finalists for the NCAA woman-of-the-year award. Fernandez also won her third consecutive Honda Award as the top collegiate softball player in the nation.