Red Sox (54-61) Fire Hobson as Manager

Butch Hobson, who could not turn around a team whose players admired him, was fired Tuesday as manager of the Boston Red Sox after three losing seasons.

Although rumors of his dismissal circulated for the last two seasons, Hobson said he was surprised he was released.

“I believed in my heart that this day would never happen,” Hobson, 43, said during a news conference at Fenway Park. “I’m not going to burn any bridges. When new faces come in, they want to bring in new faces, I knew that.”

Speculation on Hobson’s future intensified when Dan Duquette became general manager last Jan. 27 after serving in that capacity with the Montreal Expos. It increased when the Red Sox faltered after getting off to a strong start this year.

The Red Sox were 54-61 in the strike-shortened 1994 season, 17 games out of first place in the American League East. His record since taking the job in 1992 was 207-232.

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The Milwaukee Brewers announced that 30 full-time employees would be laid off because of the players’ strike.

Tennis

Former star Vitas Gerulaitis died of carbon monoxide poisoning from a faulty heating system under a poolside cottage whose owner had promised Southampton Village, N.Y., officials he would not use it as sleeping quarters, Newsday reported.

Martin Raynes, the owner, had acknowledged in a written statement in June of 1990 that the bungalow was uncertified for occupancy.

Hockey

Buffalo Sabre goalie Dominik Hasek, last season’s runner-up in the most valuable player vote, skipped practice and began a holdout.

Hasek led the NHL last season with a 1.95 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage. He was was paid $400,000 last year and would make about $600,000 this season if he plays out his option. He wants between $2.5 million and $4.5 million.

Right wing Joey Kocur of the New York Rangers will be sidelined for six weeks because of a shoulder injury.

Basketball

The Clippers signed free-agent guards Alphonso Ford and Keith Smart. Ford, 23, was the CBA’s Rookie of the Year last season. Smart was the MVP of the French League. . . . First-round draft pick Grant Hill and the Detroit Pistons are near a contract agreement worth about $44 million over eight seasons, The Oakland Press reported.

Names in the News

Bob Gutkowski, his authority undercut after this summer’s sale of Madison Square Garden, resigned as president of the sports and entertainment complex. Dave Checketts, president of the New York Knicks, took over on an interim basis and was also appointed president of the newly formed MSG Sports Group.

Dave Maggard was promoted to the new position of managing director of sports for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games.

Bob Hullender, a retired Air Force general who has two artificial hips, shot a three-under 69 to take medalist honors in the 40th USGA Senior Amateur Championship at Nicholasville, Ky. Dennis Iden of Costa Mesa was tied for third, three back at 144.

Catherine (Katy) Rodolph Wyatt, 63, a former national champion skier who suffered a broken neck in a fall only days before the 1956 Olympics, died Saturday in Las Vegas of complications from a blood disease.