The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 42

IOC 8undy, Upttmbf 4 THE TENNCSSCAN SPORTS A.M. End of road for Ware The Minnesota Vikings re-signed quarterback Sean Salisbury on Saturday and waived 1989 Heisman Trophy winner Andre Ware. Salisbury, cut by Houston on Friday, will backup starter Warren Moon and Brad Johnson when the Vikings open Sunday at Green Bay. Terms of the deal were not announced. COMPILED FROM STAFF, WIRE REPORTS BY CYNTHIA L.

STONE 1 Whalers coach investigated The NHL is investigating former Hartford Whalers coach Pierre McGuire over a possible breach of contract, according to a published report. The investigation followed protests by the Whalers that their former coach may have breached his contract in testifying for the Edmonton Oilers in an arbitration hearing this week, the Ottawa Citizen reported in yesterday's editions. Silver Bullets make last stand The Silver Bullets, a team of 20 women selected from open tryouts this spring, finished their season 6-38, playing minor league and recreation league men's teams. An Atlanta senior men's team beat them 9-6 to end the season at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium. "Even though we've lost a lot, so many people have cheered for us and told us it's really great what we're doing," said second baseman Michele McAnary.

JORDAN'S LAST DAY MICHAEL Jordan went 0-for-4 as the Birmingham Barons ended the season with a 4-2 victory over the Huntsville Stars Southern League action. Jordan finished his first professional baseball season hitting .202, with three home runs and 51 RBI. Estes on course in GMO Bob Estes switched putters and changed his grip last week. Judging by his performance in the first three rounds of the Greater Milwaukee Open, any further adjustments will be unnecessary. "IVe had plenty of chances every year to win golf tournaments and just couldnt find the putting stroke to get over that hump," said Estes, who shot a 6-un-der-par 65 yesterday to take a one-stroke lead over Mark Calcavecchia.

"Before, if I'd have been hitting shots as bad as I'm hitting them now, I would barely survive the cut Now it almost doesnt matter where I hit it, I'm putting so well." Estes, winless in six seasons on the PGA Tour, had an eagle and five birdies one on a 45-foot putt for a 15-under 198 total on the Brown Deer Park Golf Course. Estes acknowledged that the public course, in its first year as the tournament site after a 21-year stay at the Tuckaway Country Club, has played relatively easy. "It's really not that big of a deal because there are so many birdie opportunities on this golf course and there are so many guys close that it just may take a hot putter to win," he said. Calcavecchia, who lost in a playoff with Billy May-fair in last year's tournament at Tuckaway, had two eagles and five birdies for a 64. Bill Britton, who had a hole-in-one Friday, was two back after a 65.

HOBDAY LEADS SENIORS Simon Hobday had a one-stroke lead day when the second round of the GTE Northwest Classic was suspended because of darkness. Hobday, the U.S. Senior Open champion, was 5-under through 17 holes on the Inglewood Country Club course in Kenmore, He was about to tee off on the 18th when play was suspended at 7:12 p.m. PDT. DAVIES TAKES LEAD Laura Davies shot a 7-under-par 65 to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the State Farm Rail Classic in Springfield, 111.

Davies, a three-time winner this season and the LPGA tour's money leader with $615,811, was disappointed that she failed to approach the 62 that she shot in 1991 on the Rail Golf Course. "Sixty-five is a good score, but when youVe shot 62, it kind of pales," said Davies, who made the turn at 5-under 31 and added a birdie the 10th hole. Stephanie Farwig, Vicki Fergon, Chris Johnson, Meg Mallon, Kristi Albers and Val Skinner are one stroke back. TOP HEAVY R.W. Eaks and Thomas Scher-rer shot 6-under-par 66s for a share of the third-round lead in the $175,000 Nike New Mexico Charity Classic with David Jackson, Chris Perry and Jim Carter in Albuquerque.

Jackson shot a 69 and Perry and Carter had 71s to join Eaks and Scherrer with 10-under 206 totals on the University of New Mexico's Championship Course. MACPHAIL NEEDS PERMISSION Minnesota general manager Andy MacPhail said that he would consider becoming president of the Chicago Cubs only if he has the permission of Twins owner Carl Pohlad. MacPhail has two years remaining on his contract with the Twins, and Pohlad said Friday that he wont release MacPhail from that contract Bullville Victory tops World Bullville Victory beat Hambletonian winner Victory Dream by 1 2 lengths in a three-horse raceoff yesterday to capture the $650,000 World Trotting Derby at the DuQuoin (111.) State Fair. Bullville Victory, driven by Bill Fahy, finished the mile in 1:57 2-5 and paid $4.60. The 3-year-old son of Valley Victory earned $325,000 to raise his season total to $645,846.

Bosphorus finished 5 lengths behind. GRADE A A in Sociology posted a two-length victory over late-rallying Fourstars Allstar in the $150,000 Grade III Budweiser Breeders' Cup at Belmont Park. Home of the Free was another neck back in third in the field of 10 on the grass. Sea Hero, the 1993 Kentucky Derby winner, finished in fifth place, 3'2 lengths back. AP GRAND CHAMPION Russ Thompson rode Gen's Armed and Dangerous to the Tennessee Walking Horse World Grand Championship last night at Calsonic Arena in Shelbyville, Tenn.

On 9C. -i1 mmaa i- Ole Miss choses Boone Sunburst Bank president James T. (Pete) Boone was selected the University of Mississippi's new athletic director yesterday, over two other Ole Miss graduates already in athletic administration. Boone, 43, and two other finalists, CFL executive Eric Tillman and Arkansas State athletic director Brad Hov-ious, were interviewed Friday. BOOSTER FIGHTS BACK Warren Gilbert Jr.

told The Dallas Morning News in a copyright story in this morning's editions that Texas head football coach R.C Slocum, former vice president Robert Smith and others convinced him not to meet with investigators. The NCAA was investigating a summer jobs scandal that concluded he improperly paid players. IOC will add two in 2000 The International Olympic Committee executive board yesterday approved the addition of triathlon and taekwondo as medal sports for the 2000 Games at Sydney, Australia. The decision, which was expected, goes to the full IOC session today for formal U.S. to play for championship The U.S.

team survived Brazil's attempt at a slowdown game and won 109-48 yesterday to advance to the gold medal gams in the World Junior Championship qualifying tournament in Santa Rosa, Argentina. The Americans, who have won seven straight games, will play Argentina (7-0) today. The U.S. has already earned a qualification berth for the 1995 FI-BA Junior World Championship Athens, Greece. All 12 U.S.

players scored, led by 19 points from Richard Price of Compton, who enrolls at Duke this fall. Vandy opens with shutout Hayes to coach US. team Vanderbilt's women's the soccer team, preseason Gordon on Molson-Indy pole Robby Gordon, who went into yesterday's Molson-Indy qualifying session atop the provisional pole, stayed there despite being unable to improve upon his Friday lap of 109.049 mph on the tight, bumpy temporary street circuit at the edge of downtown Vancouver. favorites to defend its Southeastern Conference soccer championship, routed Huntingdon College 5-0 in the first match of the season, sarah McDonald and Andrea Freidus scored two goals each for the ROMERO TOPS LEADER80ARD Eduar-do Romero of Argentina shot a 6-under-par 66 for a total of 198, 18-under-par to take a two-stroke lead after three rounds of the European Masters in Crans-sur-Sierre Switzerland. Dean Hayes, track coach at Middle Tennessee State, will coach the U.S.

team in the World Cup which starts Friday at the Crystal Palace in London. The World Cup is the only track and field competition with team scoring in which the U.S. participates. Nit big to prepare for 1995 spring training i. aU tfca DfAnr Kocao xuhtn TVimtnon likes tell the bases loaded when Domingo Marti Monroe to story 2 i Durham file Season-by season statistics for Nashville Sounds second baseman Ray Durham, through Friday's game.

AVG HRRBI SB 1990 Sarasota (GCL) 35.276 0 13 23 1991 Sarasota (GCL) 6.304 0 4 5 Utica 39 254 0 17 12 1992 Sarasota (GCL) 5.538 0 2 1 Sarasota (FSL) 57 272 0 7 28 1993 Birmingham 137 271 3 37 39 1994 Nashville 131 295 16 65 34 Henderson at Oakland, says that Durham's speed is comparable to that of baseball's all-time steals leader. Durham's impact on games, Howitt says, is remarkably similar. "When Rickey gets a hit or a walk, it's a double," Howitt said. "I see a lot of that in Ray. Right now he has more than 30 stolen bases on speed alone.

When he gets to the big leagues, hell learn quickly how to steal." Last week, standing outside the batting cage at Greer Stadium, Larry Monroe, the director of the White Sox farm system, watched Durham taking batting practice. Durham caught a typical batting practice fastball and sent it ricocheting off the right-center-field wall. That little guy has some pop," Monroe said. Ron Schueler, White Sox senior vice-president for operations, sat behind home plate for five days and watched Durham win games for the Class AAA affiliate with his speed, his defense and his bat When Durham ran the bases, stopwatches clicked. Schueler and associates swapped knowing By JIMMY DAVY Senior Writer He would have big league written all over him if there were room on his uniform.

Ray Durham, the Nashville Sounds' second baseman, is just 5-8, 170-pounds and looks it But wound up in that compact body is enough baseball talent to one day make him a major league, household name. He's already talked about in the same breath as Tim Raines and Rickey Henderson. The conversations, for the time being, are about potential. "He's going to be in the big leagues and he's going to be there a long, long time if he takes care of himself," Sounds Manager Rick Renick said. Commenting on Durham's talent, Sounds veteran outfielder Dann Howitt said: "Ray is like a baby playing with a loaded gun.

He doesnt know what he's got" Both Howitt and Renick compare Durham to Tim Raines of the parent club Chicago White Sox albeit a somewhat miniature version of Raines. Howitt, who was with Rickey nez hit a two-hop grounder to the second baseman. Durham beat the throw to the plate. I really didnt think he'd beat the throw," Renick said. "But the infielder had just the slightest hesitation and that was enough.

He strikes quick." Asked if he liked to play with a talent like Durham, Howitt said: "It's more fun not to play against him," the outfielder said, smiling. It wont be any fun, either, in spring training for the current White Sox second basemen, former Vanderbilt star Joey Cora and ex-Sound Paco Martin. Durham has a sense that he's close to the big leagues. "Hopefully, the strike wont last and maybe IH get a late call-up," he said recently. In the interim he's leading the Sounds toward a possible first Class AAA championship and filling his career dance card.

It goes like this: put up some numbers in Nashville, gather momentum in winter ball in Puerto Rico and head to Florida next spring on a mission. "I'm looking forward to spring training," he said, a smile creasing his face. about how he walked into a ball park one afternoon and saw Durham batting left-handed. 'What's I asked. Turns out that he had spent some time at home and taught himself to hit from the other side," said Monroe.

"You could not tell that he hadnt done that all his life." But turning himself into a switch-hitter is just half the story. His 16 home runs this year in Class AAA are astonishing, considering he hit just three last year for Class AA Birmingham and the previous three seasons didnt hit a single ball over the fence. How about that sudden pop? Durham laughed, responding: 'In high school I hit with a little power, but this is all new. I lifted weights in the off-season. It has made me stronger.

I'm very proud of myself." Renick, following a win over Oklahoma City recently, said that Durham can beat a team in so many ways that might not even show up in a box score. In that game the little infielder failed to get a hit, but walked twice, stole two bases, scored twice and made a half-dozen plays on the infield that brought the crowd alive. He was poised on third with the Freeman Ramsey Jr. Staff Nashville second baseman Ray Durham, naturally a right-han-dered batter, taught himself to switch-hit last winter, a cameo appearance in the big leagues, and probably wont this year because of the strike. "At bat I've been getting pitchers in deep counts, getting good pitches to hit I'm stealing bases and running the bases, and fielding the tough ground balls and turning double plays.

IVe worked hard. It's starting to pay off." The 22-year-old, Schueler said, "is having a good year." There is statistical proof of that a .295 average (32 doubles, 12 triples, 16 home runs), a slugging percentage of .495 and 34 stolen bases heading into last night's game. "I would hate to think where we'd be without him," said Renick, whose team is in second place in the American Association and in the playoffs. "I feel like IVe Improve a great deal since the first of the year," said Durham, who has not yet had even psssiKnosq Sounds clobber Bisons 11-6 Today's game The Nashville Sounds will send right-hander Brian Keyser (8-5, 2.94 ERA) to the mound to face Buffalo right-hander Tim Wakefield (5-14, 5.83) in a 7:35 p.m. game at Greer Sadium.

11 Lookouts end Xpress season with 5-0 loss CHATTANOOGA (AP) -Blaine Beatty struck out eight on the way to a complete-game victory yesterday as the Chattanooga Lookouts beat the Nashville Xpress in the Southern League 5-0. Beatty (14-7) allowed just two hits during the shutout victory. It was the final game in Nashville for the Xpress, which will play in Puerto Rico next season. Dan Rohrmeier's two-run double in the sixth inning capped scoring They picked up the first three In the second off a Nashville error, a Pokey Reese sacrifice fly and a Mark Merchant bases-loaded walk. 3 Dan Nalilty (0-7) took the Xpress loss.

SAVE $200- REG 399 PREMIUM PAINT SERVICE 7 YEAR GUARANTEE AGAINST FADING REDS METALUCS EVERY CAR HAND I MACHINE SANDED CHEMICALLY CLEANED CAREFULLY MASKED SEAL COAT APPLIED FOR A UNIFORM BASE CLEAR TOP COAT PROVIDES ADDED PROTECTION VACUUM INTERIOR ARMOR-ALL TIRES OUR VERY BEST PAINT SERVICE NEW POLYURETHANE ACRYLIC PAINT By ANTHONY COLEMAN Sports Writer The Nashville Sounds exploded for 18 hits their second highest total of the season last night en route to to an 11-6 romp over Buffalo In an American Association game at Greer Stadium before 4,545 fans. Nashville has had some of the best pitching in the league this season. Now it appears the offense is clicking. Olmedo Saenz led the Sounds with three hits and three RBL The third baseman also had two doubles to the Sounds. First baseman Mike Robertson and catcher Henry manning had three hits apiece.

Veteran Gary Thurman also had one of his better games this season. Thurman, a fleet-footed center fielder, had a triple, a single and three RBL "Absolutely," said Sounds Manager Rick Renick when asked ii the Showgirl Showdown Afl total (Mi tortus to mm hriHNfimlhtai W4. NlcM 1 fjm. offensive display was what his team was looking for heading into the playoffs. "Our hitting instructor Roger LaFrancois has been working with getting the guys right He's done a good job with them.

They all hit the ball real well." Renick was also elated that Thurman and Saenz the second and third hitters in the lineup, respectively, last night accounted for six of the team's 18 hits. Right-handed pitcher James Baldwin hurled six innings of four-hit baseball Vuca I VMS skgtKly figher Q.mm 111 GALLATIN R0. 226-3700 OPEN 7:30 pm SAT. 8 im-NOOfi PRICES DO NOT INCLUDE $7 ENVIRONMENTAL CHARGE ASK STORE MANAGER FOR DETAILS.