Magnuson Is Killed in Crash

Former Chicago Blackhawk defenseman and coach Keith Magnuson was killed Monday in an auto accident in suburban Toronto, the team said. He was 56.

Magnuson played for Chicago from 1969 to 1980 and coached the team for 1 1/2 seasons. He was riding with former Toronto Maple Leaf captain Rob Ramage, Blackhawk spokesman Jim DeMaria said.

“We’re still investigating, but it looks like one car crossed over the center median,” York Region Constable Steve Morrell told Canadian Press.

Magnuson, a member of the Blackhawks’ 75th anniversary All-Star team selected in 2001, had 14 goals, 125 assists and 1,442 penalty minutes in 589 NHL games. In 68 playoff games, he had three goals, nine assists and 164 penalty minutes.

Magnuson coached the Blackhawks from 1980 to 1982 and had a record of 49-57-26.

Magnuson lived in the Chicago area and had remained visible with the team, DeMaria said.

Auto Racing

The prospective owners of the troubled CART racing series said Monday a buyout agreement has been reached that includes having the series file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Open Wheel Racing Series LLC, formed by three CART team owners, said the deal would allow racing in 2004.

The deal includes the purchase of specific assets -- including contracts with promoters, sponsors and teams -- as Indianapolis-based CART goes through a planned bankruptcy process, Open Wheel Racing said in a statement.

The partners in Open Wheel Racing are Paul Gentilozzi, owner of Rocketsports Racing; Kevin Kalkhoven, co-owner of PK Racing; and Gerald Forsythe, a co-owner of Team Players.

Open Wheel Racing also said Richard P. Eidswick would become the chief executive of CART as it goes through the Chapter 11 proceedings.

Eidswick, co-founder and managing director of Arbor Partners, a venture capital firm at Ann Arbor, Mich., would replace Chris Pook, CART’s president and chief executive officer since December 2001.

Open Wheel Racing said the 2004 season would begin with the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 18.

Tennis

All rechecked drug tests from the U.S. Open and Davis Cup came back clean for the steroid THG, the International Tennis Federation said.

Following the lead of other sports, the ITF decided last month to re-screen samples for the newly discovered drug. Samples taken during competition and out of competition were checked.

THG, or tetrahydrogestrinone, was uncovered last summer after a track coach sent a sample of the substance to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

Five track and field athletes and four NFL players tested positive for THG.

Skiing

Ivica Kostelic of Croatia injured his right knee while winning a World Cup slalom at Madonna di Campiglio, Italy, and Bode Miller of the U.S. fell in the first run and failed to qualify for the second. Chip Knight of the U.S. finished 10th.