Skid Costs Holmgren Post With Whalers

The slumping Hartford Whalers fired Coach Paul Holmgren on Monday and replaced him with Paul Maurice, a former coach of the Detroit Junior Red Wings.

Holmgren had served as coach of the Whalers since 1992 with the exception of a sixth-month period between November 1993, and June 1994, when he served exclusively as the team’s general manager. He was 54-93-14 as coach.

Tennis

Pete Sampras returned to the top spot in ATP Tour rankings released the day after he won the Paris Open, beating Boris Becker. It marks the first time he has held the No. 1 slot since April. With last year’s winner, Andre Agassi, sidelined and losing ATP Tour ranking points, Sampras gained enough to pass him for the No. 1 spot.

Jurisprudence

With Mike Tyson watching, boxing promoter Don King blamed his accountant for making up $350,000 in expenses to cheat Lloyd’s of London of the money after a 1991 championship bout between Julio Cesar Chavez and Harold Brazier was canceled.

The defense rested late in the day after King, 64, completed three days of testimony. He was the only witness called by defense lawyer Peter Fleming Jr.

Closing arguments are set for Wednesday.

College Basketball

The NCAA has requested transcripts from interviews and other documentation from California in the case involving basketball star Tremaine Fowlkes, who admitted receiving money from former sports agent James Casey to help buy a sport-utility vehicle last spring.

There are conflicting stories in the case, which was submitted by Cal to the NCAA Eligibility Committee in hopes of restoring Fowlkes’ playing status.

Fowlkes said Casey is a longtime family friend and the gift was not in violation of NCAA rules.

Jaha Wilson scored 27 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead USC to a 103-91 exhibition victory over Washington Son Blue Angels, a team of former college stars, at the Lyon Center. . . . Chris St. Clair made a three-point basket with nine seconds left to give Cal State Fullerton a 94-93 exhibition victory over High Five America in Titan Gym. . . . Coach Joey Meyer has signed a new four-year contract, DePaul University announced. . . . North Carolina State sophomore guard Clint Harrison has been suspended for the first four games of the season after failing to meet NCAA eligibility requirements.

Baseball

Fred McGriff of the Atlanta Braves and Eddie Murray of the Cleveland Indians were among 13 players who filed for free agency, bringing the total to 119 before Sunday’s deadline.

The Cleveland Indians announced that ticket prices will be raised on most Jacobs Field seats, going up as much as 31 percent for field box seats, which increased from $16 to $21.

Texas Ranger Manager Johnny Oates received a one-year contract extension through the 1997 season.

The Angels will open next season April 2 at home against Milwaukee. It is the fourth time in the last five years the Angels have opened at home. They also will play in the Hall of Fame game in Cooperstown, N.Y., Aug. 5.

Names in the News

Retired racer Bill Cheesbourg, who drove in the Indianapolis 500 seven times in the late 1950s and early 1960s, died of cancer in Tucson at 68.

Kirk Wilson’s Bay Wolf from Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club held a strong lead among monohulls halfway through the Long Beach Yacht Club’s 804-mile race to Cabo San Lucas.

John Lilley has been loaned by the Mighty Ducks to the Ice Dogs for an indefinite period. Lilley, 23, played with the Ducks in 22 games between 1993 and 1995.

Viatcheslav Ekimov of Russia made up an eight-second deficit on Daniele Nardello of Italy in the final day’s time trial to win the inaugural Kent Tour of China cycling race.

Glenn H. Berry, who started UCLA’s gymnastics team and later transferred to California and became the school’s first Olympian in 1928, died at 90. Glenn was inducted into the National Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1988.

The replay of Saturday night’s Riddick Bowe-Evander Holyfield fight will be on HBO Friday at 10 p.m.