O’Brien Misses World Record

Dan O’Brien flirted with his world record in the decathlon for nine events before succumbing to heat and dehydration at Knoxville, Tenn.

With only the 1,500-meter run remaining in the USA-Mobil Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Wednesday night, O’Brien was 14 points ahead of his world-record pace.

But he had nothing left for the 1,500, struggling home in 5 minutes 16.42 seconds. The weary O’Brien needed a 4:44.29 to break the record of 8,891 points he set at Talence, France, Sept. 4-5, 1992.

“I was just plain old tired,” he said, after finishing with 8,707 points, best by an American this year and sixth-best ever by an American.

Meanwhile, the first-round heats of the men’s 100 produced some scintillating times, led by Andre Cason’s 9.98.

Butch Reynolds, the world record-holder at 400 meters, withdrew from the meet because of what he said was “second-class” treatment by the sport’s national governing body.

Football

Nose tackle Jerry Ball, formerly of the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns, agreed to a two-year contract with the Raiders.

Tight end Jackie Harris of the Green Bay Packers signed a four-year offer sheet with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, reportedly worth $2 million a season. The Packers had designated Harris, 26, as their transition player, reserving the right to match any offer for him within seven days.

Linebacker Alfred Williams, an inconsistent performer since the Cincinnati Bengals made him their No. 1 draft pick in 1991, signed an $866,000 contract for 1994 after being told it would be cut to $495,000 if he waited.

Boxing

Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield reported to an Atlanta hospital for a test that showed “some improvement” of the weakened heart that forced his retirement from boxing.

An inquest jury in London confirmed that brain injuries caused the death of British boxer Bradley Stone, who died after an April 26 bout against Richie Wenton for the British super-bantamweight title.

Tennis

Top-seeded and 11-time champion Martina Navratilova overcame blustery conditions and a slow start to beat Laura Golarsa, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2, and advance to the quarterfinals of the Eastbourne grass-court tournament in England. Seventh-seeded Lori McNeil was upset, 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, by Kristine Radford. . . . Fourth-seeded MaliVai Washington, victim of a poor service game, was beaten in the Manchester Open in England, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1, by Karel Novacek. . . . Top-seeded Thomas Muster downed Marcelo Filippini, 7-6 (10-8), 6-1, to advance to the quarterfinals of the $325,000 OTV-Raifeisen tournament in St. Poelten, Austria.

Names in the News

Alberto Salazar, who won the New York Marathon in 1980-82 and the Boston Marathon in 1982, credited the drug Prozac for his victory in a 53.75-mile race last month in South Africa, according to a story in Sports Illustrated. . . . Two-time Olympic wrestling champion Bruce Baumgartner will compete in this summer’s Goodwill Games at St. Petersburg, Russia, USA Wrestling announced. . . . Jerry York of Bowling Green, the eighth-winningest coach in NCAA hockey history, was named coach at Boston College.