Rangers Keep Their Witt About Them

Pitcher Bobby Witt, who rejoined the Texas Rangers last summer, signed a one-year contract with the club Sunday with an option for 1997.

Witt, 31, returned to the Rangers last season in a trade with the Florida Marlins. He posted a 3-4 record with a 4.55 ERA in 10 starts after his Aug. 8 arrival.

He is the third Texas pitcher to sign this off-season, following reliever Mike Henneman and starter Ken Hill last week.

Witt pitched for the Rangers form 1986-92 before he was traded to Oakland. After three seasons with the Athletics, he signed with Florida before the 1995 season.

Witt has a career record of 96-107 with a 4.52 ERA in 179 games. He ranks second on Texas’ all-time strikeout list with 1,097 and fourth in victories at 71.

Tennis

Mariano Zabaleta of Argentina and Anna Kournikova of Russia established themselves as the world’s top junior players by winning titles at the Rolex Orange Bowl International Championships in Miami Beach, Fla.

Zabaleta defeated Tommy Haas of Germany, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1. Kournikova defeated Sandra Nacuk of Yugoslavia, 6-3, 6-2.

Zabaleta and Kournikova both lost in the finals of last year’s tournament.

Previous Rolex Orange Bowl champions include Chris Evert, John McEnroe, Gabriela Sabatini, Jim Courier, Bjorn Borg, Mary Joe Fernandez and Ivan Lendl.

Basketball

The U.S. Olympic Committee has placed Minnesota men’s Coach Clem Haskins in charge of Team USA.

Haskins, already an assistant coach, was given the duties of the team’s chief administrator last week by Dr. Ralph Hale, chief of mission for the team. That essentially makes Haskins the general manager of Team USA.

Haskins will coordinate and plan the team’s participation in the Olympic Games and attend all USOC administration meetings.

Haskins will be responsible for “accounting, conduct, transportation arrangements, follow-up reporting, uniforming, housing, meals, tickets,” for the team.

Soccer

Croatian Coach Tomislav Ivic was hired as coach of the United Arab Emirates’ national team, agreeing to a one-year contract in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Ivic has been coach of FC Porto and Benfica of Lisbon in Portugal, Paris-St. Germain and AS Monaco, and Atletico de Madrid in Spain.

The UAE qualified for the 1990 World Cup but failed to qualify for the 1994 tournament.