Stoichkov Coming to MLS
Hristo Stoichkov, the World Cup veteran from Bulgaria, joined Major League Soccer on Wednesday and might be able to play for the Chicago Fire in its opener Saturday against the Dallas Burn.
The 34-year-old forward signed a one-year contract with an option for a second year. He last played in the Japanese league in July and was the co-leading scorer at the 1994 World Cup.
Stoichkov is the second major European player to join MLS this season. He follows German star Lothar Matthaeus, who will play for the New York-New Jersey MetroStars.
Boxing
Thomas “Hit Man” Hearns’ latest retirement was delayed when his March 25 final bout against two-time European champion Crawford Ashley in Detroit was called off because Ashley tore his rotator cuff and will be unable to fight, promoters said.
Ashley will be replaced by an unnamed opponent in an April 8 cruiserweight fight against Hearns, 41.
Freeda Foreman, daughter of ex-heavyweight champion George Foreman, will fight another first-timer, Tiffany McCray, in her April 1 debut in Las Vegas.
Pro Football
Quarterback Jon Kitna signed a one-year contract with the Seattle Seahawks.
Kitna, 27, who passed for 3,346 yards and 23 touchdowns during the 1999 season, was a restricted free agent, meaning the Seahawks were entitled to first- and third-round draft picks as compensation if he signed elsewhere. After the 2000 season, he is eligible for unrestricted free agency.
Two weeks after unexpectedly cutting outside linebacker Lew Bush, the San Diego Chargers agreed to give his backup, Gerald Dixon, 30, a $2.7-million, two-year contract. . . . Offensive lineman Eugene Chung, 30, a one-time first-round draft choice, signed a two-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. . . . Running back Lamar Smith, 29, agreed to terms with the Miami Dolphins on a two-year, $1.75-million contract. . . . The St. Louis Rams signed free-agent tackle Sean Moran, 26, formerly of the Buffalo Bills. . . . Defensive end Bernard Holsey, 26, who played the last four years with the New York Giants, signed with the Indianapolis Colts. . . . The Denver Broncos hired University of Washington offensive coordinator Karl Dorrell, 36, as wide receivers coach. . . . Former defensive lineman Paul Smith, a member of the Denver Broncos’ famed “Orange Crush” defense, died in Denver. He was 54.
Winter Sports
Austrian star Hermann Maier and Germany’s Regina Haeusl won their first downhill titles with second- and ninth-place finishes, respectively, at Bormio, Italy, with Haeusl suffering a broken leg in a crash at the finish. . . . Three-time Olympian Ann Battelle, 32, of Colorado, survived a fifth-place finish at Livigno, Italy, to win her second World Cup moguls title in a row--beating Swede Marja Elfman on a tiebreaker for the second consecutive year.
Miscellany
With two federal courts taking opposite views on golf carts in competition, the PGA Tour said it will wait until summer before deciding if it should ask the Supreme Court to take up the Casey Martin case. . . . Arizona Cardinal running back Mario Bates, 29, pleaded not guilty in Scottsdale to charges of assault and disorderly conduct after his girlfriend charged that he slapped her. . . . Mike Jacobs, fired as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator in November, was hired as offensive line coach at Oklahoma State. . . . A.J. Foyt is replacing rookie Mike Bliss with veteran Dick Trickle for Winston Cup races at Darlington, S.C. and Bristol, Tenn. the next two weeks.
