Jury Awards Muster $2.5 Million

A Florida jury on Wednesday awarded Austrian tennis player Thomas Muster $2.5 million for a knee injury he suffered in 1989 when a car hit him during the Lipton International Players Championships. The six-member circuit court jury in Miami reached its verdict after deliberating for 6 1/2 hours.

Muster, 26, contended that the torn ligaments he suffered in his left knee damaged both his career and earning ability.

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Unseeded Brett Steven of New Zealand handed Ivan Lendl his 11th first-round defeat in 26 tournaments this year, ousting the world’s former No. 1 player, 6-4, 1-6, 6-1, at a tournament in Antwerp, Belgium.

Pro Basketball

NBA Commissioner David Stern says the entry of Toronto as an expansion franchise is conditional on not having betting on NBA games in Ontario. In Ontario, the government runs a weekly lottery featuring games in the NBA, NHL, NFL, CFL and major league baseball. Stern was not specific about what action the league might take if the betting issue is not settled.

Chris Dudley, who broke his left ankle Tuesday night in a game against the Lakers, will be out at least six weeks, the Portland Trail Blazers said.

Point guard Duane Cooper, waived Nov. 4 by the Lakers, signed a one-year contract with the Phoenix Suns.

Baseball

The Dodgers have talked with the agents of free-agent second basemen Harold Reynolds and Robby Thompson, but are only in the exploratory stage, according to Fred Claire, the club’s executive vice president. Since talks stalled more than two weeks ago with second baseman Jody Reed, Thompson is the Dodgers’ top choice. The club does not have a second baseman in its system ready to step in.

Mike Brumley, a utility player, has agreed to terms of a one-year contract with the Angels.

Miscellany

Fulton Allem, a two-time tournament winner this year, will replace John Daly in the field for the Shark Shootout Nov. 16-21 at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks. . . . Assistant Kyle Keller was fired and Coach Jerry Loyd was placed on probation through June 30 as a result of self-imposed sanctions by the Louisiana Tech athletic department after an investigation of an anonymous letter alleging recruiting violations in its men’s basketball program.

Three Washington athletes--Jason Shelley, Prentiss Perkins and Doug Barnes--were indicted as a result of an incident in a women’s dormitory at the University of Oregon on Oct. 31. They were indicted on felony charges of first-degree sexual abuse and first-degree burglary. Shelley and Barnes were suspended from the football team; Perkins has been dismissed from the basketball team.

The University of Oregon will appeal a jury’s award of $292,087 to Don Monson, the school’s former basketball coach who won a breach of contract suit against the university after he was removed as coach.

Names in the News

Margaret Chenery Carmichael, once a part-owner of famed race horse Secretariat, died in Tucson at 74.