Injuries Ruin the Hopes of U.S. Gymnasts

Halfway through the individual event finals at the World Gymnastics Championships at Sabae, Japan, the hopes of the American women were dashed by injuries.

Shannon Miller finished seventh in the uneven parallel bars Monday but withdrew from the vault because of a foot injury. Kerri Strug also withdrew from the vault after hurting her right ankle during warm-ups.

The men fared slightly better. Mihai Bagiu of Albuquerque, who tied for fifth on the pommel horse, was the highest American finisher.

Vitaly Scherbo of Belarus, the 1993 world champion and winner of six gold medals at the 1992 Olympic Games, won the floor exercise, over China’s Li Xiaoshuang, the men’s all-around champion.

Baseball

The condition of former major league outfielder Vada Pinson has deteriorated since he suffered a stroke last week and was downgraded from serious to guarded.

Pinson, 57, is still in a coma at Summit Medical Center in Oakland.

Soccer

U.S. national team striker Roy Lassiter will spend 30 days in jail for breaking into a house while he was a college student at North Carolina State three years ago.

Lassiter was sentenced in Raleigh, N.C., to a 10-year suspended prison term. He must serve 30 days in jail over the next nine months and perform 200 hours of community service. He also must pay a $1,600 fine and $500 restitution.

Major League’s Soccer’s Los Angeles franchise will play its home games at the Rose Bowl, General Manager Danny Villanueva Jr. announced. The team will play 19 home games, 16 in MLS play and three international exhibitions.

Tennis

Martina Hingis of Switzerland was eliminated from the Porsche Grand Prix at Filderstadt, Germany by sixth-seeded Natasha Zvereva, 6-4, 6-4.

Andre Agassi withdrew from a tournament in Lyon, France, citing continuing problems with a pulled chest muscle.

Basketball

The Clippers’ Brian Williams is expected to return to practice later this week after an examination revealed no damage to his left knee. Williams hasn’t practiced since experiencing soreness Friday.

Chris Webber, the NBA’s top draft choice in 1993, signed a six-year, $59-million contract with the Washington Bullets.

Jurisprudence

After a lengthy jury-selection process during which the defendant signed autographs in the hallways, opening statements are likely to begin today at the mail fraud trial of boxing promoter Don King.

Four North Carolina State football players--Duan Everett, James Walker, Mike Harrison and Ricky Bell--pleaded guilty to misdemeanor trespassing charges after breaking down the front door of a Wolfpack basketball player’s apartment in August in a dispute over the girlfriend of one of the football players. Charges against a fifth football player, Lamont McCauley, were dropped.

Names in the News

Hall of Fame rider Angel Cordero Jr., who came out of retirement to ride at El Comandante in Puerto Rico two weeks ago, will make his mainland comeback at Belmont Park on Saturday.

Raymond Floyd has entered the Ralphs Senior Golf Classic, which will be held at the Wilshire Country Club, Oct. 16-22.

Maikito Martinez (32-9-1, 26 KOs) won a battle of Los Angeles natives at the Forum, defeating Sammy Stewart (10-3-2, 4 KOs) by unanimous decision in a 112-pound super flyweight bout. Las Vegas’ Ray Collins (15-7-1, 4 KOs) was also victorious, handing Montebello’s Hector Quiroz (18-1, 17 KOs) his first loss.

Edmonton Oiler right wing Jason Arnott, who suffered a severe concussion when he was struck in the head by a puck last Sunday, has been placed on injured reserve.

Formula One driver Damon Hill of England has a suspected hairline fracture of the right leg, but the Williams driver will compete in the final three Grand Prix races of the season.