USA Boxing Chooses Points Over Computerized Scoring

USA Boxing is switching from the controversial computerized scoring system to a more-traditional points format.

The federation voted to shelve the computer scoring system in favor of the 20-point must format, even though the computer system is used by AIBA, boxing’s international federation, at all international events.

The computers still will be used at the Olympics and world championships. But for now, the three major U.S. boxing championships--this week’s U.S. Boxing Championships, the junior nationals and Junior Olympics--will revert to the old 20-point must manual scoring by five judges at ringside.

Lyle Aklestad, USA Boxing’s chief of officials at the time the vote was taken last September, said the decision was overwhelming.

But many USA Boxing members, including President Gary Toney, are worried that eliminating computer scoring will put the United States out of step with the rest of the world.

Tennis

Boris Becker reportedly will be out of tennis because of a lingering wrist injury longer than anticipated and probably will miss next week’s Lipton Championships in Key Biscayne, Fla.

The Bild newspaper said Becker hasn’t been able to practice since he dropped out of the quarterfinals in Dubai on Feb. 13.

The Copenhagen Open lost its top-seeded player for the second time when Arnaud Boetsch of France withdrew because of flu. Magnus Gustafsson of Sweden pulled out shortly before the tournament because of an injury, making Boetsch the No. 1-seeded player.

In the tournament, the day’s big surprise was turned in by Fredrik Fetterlein, a Danish wild card who beat eighth-seeded Daniel Vacek of the Czech Republic, 6-2, 6-7 (7-3), 6-2.

Jurisprudence

The shoplifting trial of former Wright State basketball coach Ralph Underhill began in Fairborn, Ohio, with a police officer testifying that Underhill told him he had made a mistake.

Underhill, 55, of suburban Washington Township, is accused of shoplifting vitamins from a store near campus on Nov. 11. Police said Underhill paid for one bottle of vitamins but concealed five other bottles.

Sabrina Kelly, an All-American sprinter at the University of Texas, and Angela Brown, a basketball player at the school, are accused of beating a woman and stealing her purse outside an Austin nightclub last month.

Both were arrested Tuesday on second-degree felony charges after they turned themselves in.

Miscellany

Three-time Le Mans winner Yannick Dalmas drove his Ferrari to a track-record 118.437 mph at Sebring International Raceway in Florida to claim the pole position for Team Scandia for the Professional SportsCar Racing-sanctioned event 12 Hours of Sebring, which is Saturday.

Dalmas will share driving chores with 1984 Sebring winner Stefan Johansson.

Ian Edmondson of Telluride, Colo., won his second major freestyle skiing event in 15 years, defeating world champion Fabrice Becker of France in the final World Cup acro skiing event of the season, at Hundfjallet, Sweden.

Becker still was able to clinch the World Cup season championship to go with the World Championship he won last month, giving him an unprecedented double.

Edmondson had 26.60 points to Becker’s 25.95. Becker finished the season with 688 points.

In the women’s event, Russians swept the top two spots, with World Cup leader and reigning world acro champion Elena Batalova winning with 28.85 points and taking the season championship with 700.

Pro Football

Mike McCormack retired as president of the Carolina Panthers. He was hired by owner Jerry Richardson eight years ago to help bring an NFL franchise to the Carolinas.

The Charlotte Observer and The State of Columbia, S.C., reported that the probable successor to McCormack is the franchise owner’s son and director of business operations, Mark Richardson.

The Denver Broncos have reached agreement on a four-year contract worth $4.3 million with Carolina wide receiver Willie Green, the Denver Post reported.

Names in the News

Maude Mildred McIntyre, reportedly was the oldest active female bowler in the United States, has died in Fresno at 106. . . . Ed Furgol, who had five PGA victories despite a left arm that was 10 inches shorter than his right, died of cancer at 79.