Suns’ Barkley Won’t Face Charges

Charles Barkley of the Phoenix Suns won’t be charged in a barroom scuffle because police found accusations that he punched a man in the mouth unfounded, officials said Tuesday.

Edward Durham, 36, a vitamin salesman from Glendale, Ariz., accused the 6-foot-6, 252-pound Barkley of hitting him last week after he intervened in an argument between Barkley and a woman bar patron over autographs. Scottsdale city prosecutor Kay Bigelow said that after studying the police report on the incident last week, she decided not to file charges.

Hockey

Don Meehan, representative of the NHL Officials Assn., said officials would drop their demand for a 60% pay raise and accept the league’s 29% offer if the NHL improves pensions, but the nine-day walkout of referees and linesmen remained far from settled.

Before Tuesday’s talks, the sides were separated by about $1.5 million a year--about $59,000 per team. Meehan said two sides are now a total of $140,000 apart on pensions, which constitute the bulk of the benefits.

Jurisprudence

A federal appeals court has ruled against former Nevada Las Vegas basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian and declared unconstitutional a Nevada law that was intended to protect him and others facing NCAA sanctions. The 1991 state law, which specified the legal rights of Nevada state employees accused of wrongdoing by any national college sports association, is an invalid attempt to regulate interstate commerce, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said.

Miscellany

The Women’s World Cup of skiing will be contested in the United States for the first time when the 1994 competition is held March 9-10 at Mammoth Mountain. The Women’s World Cup was originally scheduled to be held in Vail, Colo., but Vail declined the race after it won bids to host the World Cup finals, which begin March 14.

Michigan has accepted an invitation to play in the Hall of Fame Bowl in Tampa, Fla., on New Year’s Day. The Wolverines will probably be matched against North Carolina State.

Names in the News

Golfer Heather Farr was eulogized at funeral services in Phoenix as a woman of grace and fortitude in the face of overwhelming odds. Farr died Saturday night after a 4 1/2-year struggle with cancer. She was 28. . . . Barbara Flowers, choreographer for figure skaters Rosalyn Sumners and Tonya Harding, has died of cancer at age 45.

John Harrington took control of the Boston Red Sox when the corporation he runs announced it will buy Haywood Sullivan’s share of the team. . . . Nevada football Coach Jeff Horton has accepted the job of head coach at Nevada Las Vegas, an official at the Reno school said. Horton will replace Rebel Coach Jim Strong, who resigned. . . . Arizona State guard Quincy Brewer will sit out the season after re-injuring his right knee.