Johnson Dealt to Redskins; Gannon Signed by Raiders

Three deals involving quarterbacks Monday highlighted the most active day of the NFL off-season thus far.

The Minnesota Vikings traded their onetime starter, Brad Johnson, to the Washington Redskins, who made the deal after last season’s starting quarterback, free-agent Trent Green, signed with the St. Louis Rams. The Oakland Raiders, meanwhile, signed free-agent quarterback Rich Gannon, who was with the Kansas City Chiefs last season. .

In the Johnson deal, the Vikings--led to the NFC championship game last season by Randall Cunningham--received the Redskins’ first- and third-round draft choices this year and a second-round pick in 2000. Washington will give up the second of their two first-round picks, 11th overall.

The Rams signed Green for four years at $16.5 million.

In the Gannon signing, the 11-year journeyman quarterback received a four-year, $16-million deal. “This is the first time I’ve entered the season as a starter, but my approach isn’t going to change at all,” Gannon said.

The Raiders let last season’s often-injured quarterback, Jeff George, go over the weekend, declining to pay a $5-million option.

The Raiders also announced the re-signing of backup quarterback Wade Wilson and the signing of receiver Chris T. Jones, who has played only four games the last two seasons.

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Reggie White, 37, made his second retirement official, turning in his retirement letter to Green Bay General Manager Ron Wolf. “He’s officially retired. It’s over. I think he’s had it,” a Packer spokesman said. . . . The Tennessee Titans signed former St. Louis Rams defensive end Mike Jones.

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Al Testaverde, the father of New York Jet quarterback Vinny Testaverde, died of a heart attack while vacationing in Florida on Sunday. He was 66.

Baseball

The New York Yankees and all-star shortstop Derek Jeter went to salary arbitration, with Jeter, 24, asking for $5 million and the Yankees countering with $3.2 million. A decision is expected today. . . . Chicago White Sox second baseman Ray Durham avoided arbitration by signing a four-year, $20-million deal. He had asked for $4.3 million and Chicago had offered $3.35 million.

The Cincinnati Reds, who have had a ban on facial hair since 1967, dropped it after owner Marge Schott talked to Greg Vaughn, who lobbied hard to keep his goatee after he was traded from San Diego on Feb. 2.

Horse Racing

Kessem Power, ridden by Gary Stevens, overtook 8-5 favorite Brave Act late to win the $200,000 San Luis Obispo Handicap at Santa Anita by three-quarters of a length. Stevens got to ride Kessem Power after Eddie Delahoussaye took off all his mounts. Kessem Power, who carried 115 pounds, covered 1 1/2 miles on turf in 2:28 and paid $12.40.

Trainer Bobby Frankel, hoping to learn if his 3-year-old filly is Kentucky Derby caliber, will run undefeated Honest Lady against colts in the $200,000 San Rafael Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 28. Prime Timber and Cape Canaveral are the leading colts under consideration for the San Rafael, a prep for the Santa Anita Derby on April 3.

Miscellany

The deadline for Olympic bidders to tell of rule-breaking behavior by IOC members or the cities that tried to woo them passed with no new scandals revealed.

England’s Tim Henman rallied to defeat Italy’s Davide Sanguinetti, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3, in the opening round of an $850,000 indoor tennis tournament at Rotterdam, Netherlands. Eighth-seeded Goran Ivanisevic was upset, 6-7 (8-6), 7-6 (7-3), 7-5, by unseeded Czech Bohdan Ulihrach. . . . Jim Courier made quick work of Geoff Grant, 6-0, 6-3, in the $700,000 Kroger St. Jude tournament at Memphis, Tenn. . . . Eighth-seeded Barbara Schett swept 87th-ranked Jennifer Capriati, 6-4, 6-2, at the $500,000 Hanover tournament in Germany.

A replay of Oscar De La Hoya’s split-decision victory over Ike Quartey will be televised on HBO on Saturday night at 6:30 before a live telecast of the world welterweight title fight between Felix Trinidad and Pernell Whitaker at Madison Square Garden.

Around Alone race officials lost direct contact with French sailor Isabelle Autissier after she’d radioed that her boat had capsized in the Southern Ocean, about 1,900 miles west of Cape Horn. Later, two of her distress beacons were activated, leading to speculation that she was unable to use her radio and had left the boat, perhaps taking to a life raft. Autissier, 42, was sailing her 60-foot boat PRB in Class I of the race around the world and was in first place overall.

Michelle Akers of the U.S. women’s national soccer team, suffered an orbital fracture under her left eye and received 25 stitches for a gash over the same eye from a collision with two other players during Sunday’s loss at San Jose. She will be out four to six weeks.

Hall of Fame baseball announcer Jimmy Dudley, who was the voice of the Cleveland Indians from 1948 to 1967, died Friday night of a stroke.