Rookie Bell to Manage Tigers

Buddy Bell, a coach with the Cleveland Indians the last two seasons, was hired by the Detroit Tigers on Thursday to succeed Sparky Anderson as manager.

Bell, 44, who spent 18 years in the majors as a third baseman, signed a two-year contract for his first managing assignment.

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Kirby Puckett will return to the Minnesota Twins for a 13th consecutive season, his agent said. Puckett, 34, could have gotten out of the last two years of his contract, which guarantees him $13 million over the next two seasons, by notifying the Twins next week but will not exercise that option.

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Kevin McClatchy agreed in principle to a final sales agreement to buy the Pittsburgh Pirates after reaching a compromise on a deadline for raising additional equity. . . . Houston Astro owner Drayton McLane Jr. denied a Houston Chronicle report that he would move the team after next season or was considering suing other major league owners. . . . Angel shortstop Dick Schofield and Chicago White Sox pitcher Dave Righetti filed for free agency. . . . The White Sox declined to exercise a $2.1-million option on catcher Ron Karkovice, instead paying him a $625,000 buyout fee. . . . Florida Marlin pitcher Pat Rapp, who had a 14-7 record and a 3.44 earned-run average, will undergo surgery Saturday to repair a herniated disk in his back.

Golf

Fred Couples and Davis Love got the United States off to a strong start in the $1.5-million World Cup in Shenzhen, China, the first major tournament ever held in that country. Love shot 65 and Couples 68 in the 32-country tournament and took a three-stroke lead over Jesper Parnevik and Jarmo Sandelin, who shot 67 and 69 for Sweden. . . . With some players wearing two sweaters and needing hand warmers, Jim Colbert shot a four-under-par 68 for a three-stroke lead after one round of the Senior Tour Championship at Myrtle Beach, S.C. . . . Liselotte Neumann of Sweden overcame gusty, swirling winds, shooting a six-under-par 67 to take a one-stroke lead over Jane Geddes in the first round of the Women’s Australian Open at Melbourne.

Basketball

UCLA forward Charles O’Bannon twisted his left ankle in a team scrimmage, and X-rays taken Thursday were negative. A school spokesman said O’Bannon is expected to return to practice Monday. . . . The West Coast Conference announced that Loyola Marymount will be the site of the men’s and women’s conference tournament after the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons. This season’s WCC tournament will be held at Santa Clara.

Tennis

Mikael Tillstrom, a Swedish qualifier ranked 147th in the world, upset third-seeded Richard Krajicek, 7-6 (9-7), 2-6, 6-3, to reach the quarterfinals of the Stockholm Open. Top-seeded Jim Courier reached the quarterfinals with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Todd Woodbridge. . . . Switzerland’s Marc Rosset moved into the quarterfinals of the Kremlin Cup at Moscow with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over unseeded Czech Jan Kroslak. . . . Co-No. 1 player Steffi Graf beat qualifier Meredith McGrath, 6-3, 6-2, to advance to the semifinals of the Advanta Championships at Philadelphia. Defending champion Anke Huber faltered before defeating 15-year-old Martina Hingis, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2, to reach the quarterfinals.

Miscellany

Don King’s defense lawyer asked for a mistrial, saying prosecutors called the boxing promoter a liar at his insurance fraud trial. . . . The World Boxing Council reaffirmed its decision to have Frank Bruno fight Mike Tyson for the WBC heavyweight title in March.

Damon Hill upstaged archrival Michael Schumacher, taking the provisional pole position for Sunday’s Australian Formula One Grand Prix in an opening qualifying session marred by an injury to Finnish driver Mika Hakkinen, who was hospitalized in Adelaide.

The U.S. Olympic Committee awarded $1.12 million in grass-roots sports grants, its latest effort to counter criticism that it spends too much on medal winners and too little on development.

Mammoth Mountain, which ended its 1994-95 season less than three months ago, on Aug. 13, will reopen for skiing at 8:30 a.m. today on 12 to 24 inches of man-made snow.

A telethon sponsored by three dozen radio stations raised more than $400,000 for Boston University hockey player Travis Roy, who was paralyzed a month ago in his first college hockey game.