Rangers Ask Bettman to Void Keenan Hiring

While Mike Keenan was spending his first day on the job as coach and general manager of the St. Louis Blues, the team he left asked the league to void the hiring.

The New York Rangers have requested that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman arbitrate what they termed Keenan’s “attempt to terminate his employment.” The Rangers also requested an investigation into Keenan’s “reported agreement” with the Blues and “reported contact” with the Detroit Red Wings.

Bettman asked both sides to submit written positions by Thursday morning and said he would then decide whether a hearing would be necessary.

Cycling

Miguel Indurain of Spain, on course for his fourth consecutive Tour de France title, rode dangerously close to the edge of a mountain road before recovering.

Heading down the mountain at about 68 m.p.h., Indurain misjudged a curve and came within three feet of the edge. He had to put his foot down to gain control of his bike.

He recovered and eventually finished ninth in the 16th stage while holding the overall lead by nearly eight minutes. Eros Poli of Italy won the stage.

Track and Field

Danny Harris, the 1984 Olympic silver medalist in the 400-meter hurdles, must resume his four-year suspension after competing in five events this year without the knowledge of the International Amateur Athletic Federation.

Harris was banned for four years after testing positive for cocaine in February of 1992, but was reinstated by USA Track & Field in March of 1994 after an appeal.

IAAF general secretary Istvan Gyulai said that USATF had no right to reinstate Harris, and that he should not have competed in the meets.

Sonia O’Sullivan of Ireland produced the fastest women’s time of the year at 1,500 meters at the Nikaia Grand Prix track meet in Nice, France. The former Villanova runner won in 3 minutes 59.10 seconds.

Auto Racing

Les Richter, former president of Riverside International Raceway, has been appointed executive vice president of Roger Penske’s California Speedway Corp., which plans to build a two-mile motor racing track next year near Fontana.

Richter, also a Hall of Fame linebacker with the Rams before becoming a racing executive, will retain his duties as senior vice president of operations for NASCAR.

Tennis

Mats Wilander withstood a 95-minute rain delay and beat Vic Spadea, 7-5, 7-5, and Amos Mansdorf beat David Nainkin, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, in the opening round of the $650,000 Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington. Top-seeded Pete Sampras withdrew from the tournament because of an injured left ankle.

Argentina and France were the first nations to qualify for the second round in the women’s Federation Cup tennis tournament at Frankfurt, Germany, both taking unbeatable 2-0 leads over their opponents, Cuba and Korea.

Horse Racing

A half-brother of 1990 Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled sold for $900,000 to top the first day of the July Selected Yearling Sale at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.

Aaron Jones, a lumber executive from Eugene, Ore., purchased the chestnut colt sired by Forty Niner, champion 2-year-old colt of 1987. The colt is out of Gana Facil, who has produced two stakes winners--Unbridled, with winnings of almost $4.5 million, and Cahill Road.

Pro Basketball

U.S. District Judge James Rosenbaum ruled in Duluth, Minn., that the NBA may release next season’s schedule, invalidating a Louisiana judge’s ruling forbidding the release until the sale of the Minnesota Timberwolves is resolved. . . . The Washington Bullets and guard Mitchell Butler have agreed to a $2.2-million, four-year contract.

Name in the News

Jerry Mays, 54, who retired from the Kansas City Chiefs after the team’s 1970 Super Bowl victory, died of cancer Sunday at his home in Lewisville, Tex.