Steeler Aide Capers Is First Panther Coach

Dom Capers brought his defensive expertise to the Carolina Panthers on Monday, becoming the NFL expansion team’s first coach.

Capers, defensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers, received a five-year contract from the Panthers, who begin play in September in the NFC West. Financial terms were not disclosed.

“I believe that a head coach has to have knowledge and control of all phases of the game,” he said. “I assure you that I will know as much about what’s going on with the offense and the kicking game as I will with the defense.”

Winter Sports

Anita Wachter of Austria skied to an easy victory in the World Cup giant slalom in Cortina D’Ampezzo, Italy, finishing 89 hundredths of a second ahead of Vreni Schneider of Switzerland.

The World Alpine Ski Championships at Sierra Nevada, Spain, apparently will start as scheduled next week, international ski federation officials said. The championships have been in danger of postponement because of a lack of snow.

Baseball

Reebok has offered to sponsor the proposed barnstorming tour of striking baseball players. The union’s executive board will consider the plan of the sporting goods company when it meets Jan. 31. . . . The Dodgers have offered a triple-A contract to utility infielder Freddie Benavides, who has a career .253 batting average. . . . The New York Mets will hold a tryout camp for players with pro experience within the last five years Saturday at Long Beach State at 11 a.m. . . . The sale of the Pittsburgh Pirates to cable TV entrepreneur John Rigas received preliminary approval from baseball’s ownership committee.

Olympics

The International Olympic Committee is concerned about the possible impact of last week’s Japanese earthquake on the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano. Marc Hodler, an IOC vice president, said the issue would be discussed this week by the IOC executive board. Nagano was not hit by the earthquake that devastated Kobe. But Hodler said it could have a financial impact on the Games’ organization.

Miscellany

Former NFL player Dexter Manley reportedly was arrested Sunday on drug charges for the second time in two months. The Houston Chronicle said in today’s editions that Manley, 35, was arrested at a Houston hotel when he could not pay a large phone bill. He was charged with possession of a controlled substance when a cocaine pipe was found in the back seat of the police car he rode in.

Alex Wood, offensive coordinator at Wake Forest the last two seasons, was hired as head football coach at James Madison.

The Walt Disney Co. is joining forces with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to bring the proposed Indy Racing League to a planned one-mile oval in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The Walt Disney World Indy 200 will be the inaugural event when the IRL starts next January, officials said.

Rusty Glidden will replace his father in Pro Stock competition on the NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series while Bob Glidden recovers from heart surgery.

Rick Bay, former athletic director at Oregon, Ohio State and Minnesota and executive with the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians, was named athletic director at San Diego State.

Golfer John Daly entered the Nissan (L.A.) Open, which begins Feb. 19 at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades.

Connecticut (15-0) remained No. 1 in the Associated Press women’s basketball poll. USC is 20th.

La Salle has opted to leave the Midwestern Collegiate Conference by June 30.