Hockey

The NHL offered its on-ice officials a 10% pay increase and then left the bargaining table to study a counterproposal. The league’s response is expected today, less than two weeks before the officials’ Nov. 15 strike deadline. Under the NHL’s initial proposal, a first-year referee would earn a base salary of $55,000, up from $50,000. The union sought $100,000. A first-year linesman now makes $33,000.

Philadelphia Flyer goaltender Tommy Soderstrom underwent a fifth procedure to cure Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, an abnormality that has caused his heart to beat at a dangerously rapid pace. Soderstrom had to leave a game at Ottawa last Wednesday after experiencing dizziness and lightheadedness.

Dale Hunter, suspended for the exhibition season and 21 regular-season games for checking Pierre Turgeon of the New York Islanders, was given approval by the NHL to start practicing with the Washington Capitals. Hunter was also fined $150,000 for his hit on Turgeon during a playoff game on April 29.

Baseball

Detroit Tiger infielder Alan Trammell has agreed to a one-year contract worth $3 million, a raise of $1.3 million.

Kansas City right-hander Mark Gubicza, Toronto shortstop Tony Fernandez and Montreal infielder Randy Ready filed for free agency, bringing to 89 the number of players who have filed before Sunday’s deadline. Texas exercised a $500,000 option on outfielder Chris James. Tuesday night, first baseman Todd Benzinger and San Francisco agreed to a $700,000, one-year contract.

A Japanese team scored nine runs in the fifth inning en route to a 16-1 victory over the Dodgers before a crowd of more than 42,000 at Fukuoka Dome. The loss dropped the Dodgers to 1-4 on their Asian exhibition tour. Dodger pitchers Ramon Martinez, Felix Rodriguez, Jonathan Hurst, Steve Wilson and Jim Gott yielded 15 walks against a team made up from players from the Yomiuri Giants of the Central League and the Hawks of the Pacific League.

Miscellany

Orlando Magic center Shaquille O’Neal signed an endorsement deal with Score Board Inc. that will give the company exclusive rights to the player’s autograph. . . . About 170 British soccer fans were arrested after a disturbance at a local hotel before Manchester United was eliminated by Galatasaray of Istanbul in the European Champions Cup at Istanbul. . . . Thomas Dooley, a German-born player who became a U.S. citizen in 1992, was named athlete of the year by the U.S. Soccer Federation. . . . Georgia Tech baseball Coach Jim Morris confirmed he is the new coach at Miami. Morris succeeds Brad Kelley, who resigned in September after being accused of violating team policy by purchasing a drink for a player. . . . Zina Garrison-Jackson broke Tracy Austin’s serve six of seven times to win, 6-0, 6-2, and advance to the quarterfinals of the $375,000 Bank of the West Classic tennis tournament at Oakland.