Abdul-Jabbar Nominated for Hall of Fame

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, one of the most dominant forces in basketball history, was among nine men and two women nominated Tuesday for the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Abdul-Jabbar led UCLA to three NCAA championships. In the NBA, he led the Milwaukee Bucks to their only title and the Lakers to five, was MVP an unprecedented six times and played in a record 19 All-Star games.

USC Coach Cheryl Miller, who led the Trojans to two NCAA championships as a player, was nominated by the Women’s Committee.

Gene Shue, former Clipper coach, and the late Earl Strom, a former referee, were also nominated.

Baseball

The judge in the trial of Dave Stewart and Todd Stottlemyre in Tampa, Fla., replaced all court personnel after a court reporter had the Toronto pitchers sign a baseball and baseball cards. The autographs were signed Monday in the courtroom before proceedings began for the Blue Jay pitchers, charged in a fight with police outside a bar last winter.

Right-handed reliever Joe Grahe, who no longer fits into the Angels’ plans, had arthroscopic surgery on his pitching shoulder at Centinela Hospital.

Dan Plesac, a three-time All-Star coming off two sub-par seasons with the Chicago Cubs, agreed to a $1.8-million, two-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Tennis

Yevgeny Kafelnikov, considered the best player on the Russian Davis Cup team, says his sour relationship with team captain Vadim Borisov might lead to his withdrawal from next month’s final against Sweden.

After beating Lars Rehman of Germany, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, in a first-round match at the $1.1-million Kremlin Cup, Kafelnikov did not say when he would make up his mind about playing the final Dec. 2-4 in Sweden.

Chanda Rubin overwhelmed seventh-seeded Amy Frazier, 6-1, 6-1, in the first round of the Virginia Slims of Philadelphia. No. 4 Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina overcame 11 double-faults to defeat Jana Nejedly of Canada, 6-4, 6-1. Tonight, Jennifer Capriati makes her return to the tour, playing sixth seed Anke Huber.

Golf

Nick Price and Greg Norman shot two-under-par 70s over a windy course on the island of Kauai to share the first-round lead in the 36-hole PGA Grand Slam of Golf.

In the event that matches the winners of the four majors, Ernie Els shot 72 and Jose Maria Olazabal a 74 on the Poipu Bay Resort Golf Course.

Miscellany

The Philadelphia Flyers’ Bob Clarke, one of two general managers involved in talks with the NHL players’ union Monday, said he will participate in Thursday’s meeting in Toronto. Clarke said he remains optimistic an agreement can be reached to save the season.

Also, Toronto Maple Leaf captain Doug Gilmour said he’s leaving Sunday to play in Switzerland, and the Vancouver Canucks laid off two employees.

Ervin Dusak, a reserve outfielder on the St. Louis Cardinals’ 1946 World Series championship team, died Sunday at his son’s home in Glendale Heights, Ill. He was 74.

Former Olympian Archie San Romani Sr. died Monday in Fresno at age 82. He was fourth in the 1936 Olympic 1,500 meters in which the top four finishers broke the Olympic record of 3:51.2. Romani finished in 3:50.0. He also was part of two world-record four-mile relay teams.