Regan Swoops Down to Become Oriole Manager

Ten years of managing winter ball in the Dominican Republic and Venezuela finally paid off for former Dodger relief pitcher Phil (The Vulture) Regan.

“I’ve waited a long time for this,” he said Sunday, after the Baltimore Orioles named him manager.

Regan, 57, signed a two-year contract, with an option for a third year. He replaces Johnny Oates, who was fired on Sept. 26.

Regan was pitching coach for two teams, most recently with the Cleveland Indians this year, and spent seven years as a scout for the Dodgers.

Regan took a break from managing his team in Caracas to travel to Baltimore for a second interview Saturday. He will return to Venezuela until his team replaces him.

Motor Sports

Michael Schumacher, coming off a two-race suspension, won the European Grand Prix in Jerez, Spain, at least temporarily halting Damon Hill’s run for the Formula One title.

Hill, in a Williams-Renault, was second, 24.689 seconds behind, but fell five points back in the standings. Hill won the two races Schumacher sat out, but was no match for him this time.

The German driver scored his eighth victory of the season, tying the late Ayrton Senna’s most victories in a season. He can match record holder Nigel Mansell with one more.

Miss Budweiser won its third consecutive unlimited hydroplane championship by placing second in the finals of the Outrigger Hotels Hydrofest at Pearl Harbor.

Kenny Wallace won the 300-lap NASCAR Busch Grand National race at Martinsville, Va. David Green finished second, and increased his lead in the Grand National standings to 84 points.

Tennis

Top-seeded Goran Ivanisevic defeated sixth-seeded Michael Chang, 6-4, 6-4, to win the $1-million Seiko Super tournament in Tokyo.

American MaliVai Washington defeated France’s Arnaud Boetsch, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, to win the $290,000 IPB Czech Indoor tournament in Ostrava, Czech Republic. . . . Wayne Ferreira defeated hometown favorite Amos Mansdorf in the Israel Open final in Tel Aviv, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3. . . . Anka Huber of Germany defeated Mary Pierce of France, 6-4, 6-2, to win the $400,000 Porsche Grand Prix in Filderstadt, Germany.

Miscellany

Bruce McNall’s jetliner that carried the Kings was auctioned for $500,000 to the owner of an aviation company. Clay Lacy of Van Nuys outbid six others for a chance to own the 1966 Boeing 727-100, which cost McNall $5 million in 1990.

Duke guard Chris Collins, the top three-point shooter in the Atlantic Coast Conference last season, will be sidelined up to eight weeks after suffering a broken right foot.

Former world 10,000-meter champion Liz McColgan accused her British teammates of “blatant” drug use. Several British newspapers quoted the 30-year-old Scot as saying she was glad seven British athletes were caught this year.

“There are a lot more people on the British team doing it,” she said. “And it is so blatant--but everyone just turns a blind eye.”

Marlon Maxey of the Minnesota Timberwolves was arrested when police found a handgun in his car and he did not have a permit. The 25-year-old forward has been released on his own recognizance. . . . Guard Eric Murdock, poked in the right eye during the Milwaukee Bucks’ exhibition opener, will be sidelined two weeks.

China won four more track events, winding up with 137 of the 337 gold medals of the Asian Games in Hiroshima, Japan.