Autopsy Reveals Thomas Died of Massive Blood Clot

Derrick Thomas died from a massive blood clot in an artery between his lungs and his heart, doctors in Miami said Wednesday after performing an autopsy.

Thomas, 33, went into cardio-respiratory arrest Tuesday morning, Dr. Frank Eismont said.

In Kansas City on Wednesday, hundreds of Chief fans, many with their cars decorated with No. 58 and team decals, streamed into the Arrowhead Stadium parking lot to pay homage to the nine-time all-pro linebacker.

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Steve Furness, who earned four Super Bowl rings as a defensive lineman with the Pittsburgh Steelers, died in Pittsburgh of a heart attack. He was 49.

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The New England Patriots released five-time Pro Bowl tight end Ben Coates. . . . The Buffalo Bills granted wide receiver Andre Reed his wish and released him, and continued contract negotiations with aging stars Bruce Smith and Thurman Thomas. . . . Miami quarterback Dan Marino reportedly will void the final two years of his contract, but he will play only for the Dolphins if he decides to return next season. . . . Two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Lee Woodall and defensive end Marvin Washington were released and the San Francisco 49ers are close to cutting Pro Bowl safety Tim McDonald as part of their plan to reduce their bloated payroll. . . . Left tackle Lomas Brown and cornerback Antonio Langham were cut by the Cleveland Browns to give the team more money for free agents.

Jurisprudence

Rae Carruth is worth nearly $480,000 and would have had no financial motive in the killing of his pregnant girlfriend, Cherica Adams, his lawyer, Kenneth Spaulding, said at a child custody and support hearing in Charlotte, N.C. Saundra Adams, the victim’s mother who has temporary custody of her daughter’s baby, wants child support from Carruth, and a judge has frozen Carruth’s assets.

Wisconsin football recruit Jael Speights, 19, who was suspended from the team before last season, was sentenced to 37 years in prison for sexual assault and burglary in Madison, Wis.

Tennis

Jim Courier needed 2 hours 46 minutes to defeat Hernan Gumy of Argentina, 7-5, 6-7 (7-2), 7-6 (7-4) in a battle of baseliners in the second round of the Sybase Open at San Jose. . . . Serena Williams powered into the quarterfinals of the Paris Open by defeating Switzerland’s Patty Schnyder, 6-2, 6-2. In a first-round match, Germany’s Anke Huber knocked off sixth-seed Sandrine Testud of France, 6-1, 6-2. . . . Yevgeny Kafelnikov recovered to defeat Gianluca Pozzi, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, in the first round of the Marseille Open at France.

Miscellany

Beau Jack, who twice held the world lightweight boxing title in the 1940s, died Wednesday morning in a Miami-area nursing home from complications of Parkinson’s disease. He was 78.

Atlanta Brave pitcher John Rocker, suspended by Commissioner Bud Selig until May 1 for making insensitive remarks, began his attempt to overturn the penalty during a hearing in front of baseball’s arbitrator, Shyam Das, in New York.

An effort by Congress to outlaw betting on college sports is dead, according to a state senator from Nevada.

Randy Harvey of The Times has been named California sportswriter of the year by the National Assn. of Sportscasters and Sportswriters. He and other state and national winners will be honored at a dinner in Salisbury, N.C., on May 1. Jim Rome was named California sportscaster of the year.

American Jenny Thompson won the 50-meter freestyle and the 100 butterfly in times of 25.05 and 58.01 seconds, respectively, at the Imperia World Cup short track swimming meet in Italy.

Russians Yelena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze rallied to win the pairs title at the European Figure Skating Championships at Vienna, marking Russia’s fifth consecutive title in the event.

As expected, Cal State Northridge and UC Riverside will join the Big West in July 2001, the conference announced. The Big West also announced the release of North Texas and New Mexico State, which will join the Sun Belt Conference.

D.J. Williams, one of the nation’s top defensive backs from Concord De La Salle High, signed a letter of intent to play football at Miami. . . . Michigan has changed its mind and decided not to play in the Kickoff Classic in August.