Golfer Heather Farr Loses Battle to Cancer

Heather Farr, a professional golfer who inspired fans with her courageous battle to return to the game after being stricken with cancer at age 24, died Saturday. She was 28.

On Nov. 11, Farr underwent surgery to relieve a brain hemorrhage at Scottsdale (Ariz.) Memorial Hospital-North. Six days later, her condition was downgraded from fair to critical.

Farr, a Phoenix native, was a two-time All-American at Arizona State and became the youngest player ever to qualify for the LPGA Tour at age 20 in 1986.

After winning $170,038 in 3 1/2 years, Farr was diagnosed with breast cancer on July 3, 1989.

Tennis

Pete Sampras overwhelmed Andrei Medvedev, 6-3, 6-0, and reached the final of the ATP Tour World Championship at Frankfurt, Germany, serving out the match with his 1,000th ace of the season.

He will meet Michael Stich for the title. Stich edged Goran Ivanisevic, 7-6, 7-6.

Steffi Graf, the world’s No. 1-ranked player, needed 1 hour 46 minutes to beat fellow German Anke Huber, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, to advance to today’s title match in the Virginia Slims Championships at New York.

Graf will face Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, ranked No. 2, who battled for 2:34 before eliminating unseeded Mary Pierce, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2.

Swimming

Angel Martino broke one world record and another American mark at Stravanger, Norway. Martino, a gold medalist at Barcelona, was timed in 59.41 seconds in the 100-meter backstroke to break American Betsy Mitchell’s six-year-old record of 59.89. Twenty minutes later, Martino, 26, went 53.87 in the 100 freestyle to break Jenna Johnson’s American record of 54.47, set in 1985.

Winter Sports

Brian Rolston scored his tournament-leading fifth goal, helping Team USA to a 5-2 victory over France in the Telehockey Cup at Gjovik, Norway.

Showing the program that they hope will win them a second Olympic gold medal, Natalia Mishkutienok and Artur Dmitriev of Russia won the pairs event at the Lalique Trophy figure skating competition at Paris.

The top American pair, Jenni Menno and Todd Sand, took third.

American Todd Eldredge, using a Charlie Chaplin routine, won the men’s event.

Miscellany

A Brooklyn Dodger jersey worn by Jackie Robinson during his 1949 MVP season sold for $66,000 Saturday at a memorabilia auction in New York City.

Bill Buckner’s 1986 World Series ring sold for $33,000. Buckner’s error in the 10th inning of Game 6 allowed the New York Mets to win the series against the Boston Red Sox in Game 7.

The Buckner ring was accompanied by a letter of authenticity reading: “Hope you enjoy my 1986 World Series ring. The nightmare of 1986 is over. I’m off the hook.”

Names in the News

The two-year suspension of world champion sprinter Katrin Krabbe and two German teammates was upheld by the International Amateur Athletic Federation. Krabbe and fellow sprinters Grit Breuer and Manuela Derr will not be able to compete in the 1995 World Championships at Goteberg, Sweden. . . . James Bungei set a course record to win his fourth consecutive NAIA cross country championship and lead Lubbock Christian to its fourth consecutive team title at Kenosha, Wis. Elizabeth Onyambu of Biola won the women’s five-kilometer race in 17:35.

Two members of the Cuban archery team, Alfonso Donate, 41, and his son Alfonso Donate Sotelo, 21, disappeared from their country’s delegation to the Central American and Caribbean Games at Ponce, Puerto Rico, increasing to three the number of Cubans seeking political asylum. . . . Former Auburn football player Clarence Eugene Morton, 23, was killed in a car crash near Camp Hill, Ala., while on his way to the Alabama-Auburn game.