The Indianapolis News from Indianapolis, Indiana • 13

SECTION WEATHERB-7 CR0SSW0RDB-8 HERMAN HOGLEBOGLEB-8 THURSDAY, JULY 2, 1992 THE INDIANAPOLIS NEWS; fona Graf on play 500 finish: 8 feet! TODAY 4 p.m., HBO-Cable, women's semifinals (taped) FRIDAY 12:50 a.m., WTHR women's semifinals (taped); noon, WTHR (B, men's semifinals; 4 p.m., HBO-Cable, men's semifinals (taped) SATURDAY 8 a.m., WTHR ft women's final SUNDAY 8 a.m., WTHR 09, men's final t- If v. -1 Jt-i vv Si4 1 5 -i 4 -1 Ths Associated Prats WIMBLEDON. England Monica Seles overcame nine-time champion Martina Navrati-lova in three sets today to reach the Wimbledon women's singles final after John McEnroe and Andre Agassi swept into the men's semifinals. Seles kept on course for her third Grand Slam tennis title of the year by beating Navratilova 6-2. 6-7 (7-3).

6-4. She will face defending champion Steffi Graf, who dominated Gabriela Sabatini 6-3, 6-3 in other semifinal. McEnroe and Agassi joined Pete Sampras in the semis, marking the first time in 10 years three Americans have made the final four. McEnroe saved six set points in the second-set tiebreaker and went on to complete a 6-2, 7-6 (11-9). 6-3 victory over Guy Forget to reach his first Wimbledon semifinal since 1989.

"It's been a big hump to get here," McEnroe said. Agassi finished a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 victory over three-time champion Boris Becker to reach the Wimbledon semifinals for the first time. "It's probably one of the greatest achievements of my career, for sure," Agassi said. It will be the first time since 1988 that Becker will not play in the final. Two other champions, Stefan Edberg and Michael Stich, were eliminated Wednesday.

Agassi will face McEnroe in Friday's semifinals, with Sampras playing Goran Ivanisevic of Croatia. The last time three Americans reached the semifinals was in 1982, with McEnroe, Tim Mayotte and Jimmy Connors. McEnroe and Forget had been tied at 5-5 in the second set when play was halted Wednesday. Both held serve to set up a tiebreaker. Forget moved out to a 6-3 lead, giving him three set points.

But play was delayed for several minutes as McEnroe argued over Forgets serve on the ninth point being ruled an ace. By DICK MITTMAN Th Indianapolis News The closest finish in 500-Mile Race history actually was closer than the 43 thousandths of a second that was reported. Al Unser Jr. beat Scott Goodyear more like .0331 of a second, according to Hike Devin, USAC's technical director. Reason is where the transponder boxes were placed in the respective cars.

It was in the nose of Unser's Galmer-Chevrolet and in the sldepod beside the driver in Good-year's. -1 "We don't score by the transponder," Devin said. "It is done Devln then revealed that the first car to get its nose across the finish line is not necessarily the winner. The winner, he said. Is the first car to get its front wheels to the finish line.

"The .043 actually was a number off the transmitter," he explained. "It was never intended to be used." Devln, who is recommending the transponders be pot in a standard place on all cars, said it was quite possible the second-place car could have been timed first if the placing of the transponders had been reversed. The new separation was figured by checking the relative speeds of the cars coming down the straightaway. "The finish was eight feet," he said. "That's close enough." Speedway spokesman Bob Walters said the .043 will remain as the official difference.

'It will be a part of 500 trivia," he said. "The ball was a foot long," McEnroe shouted. McEnroe was looking dispirited when he walked back to the baseline to serve. But he came to life after hitting a backhand volley that hit the top of the net and dribbled over to save the first set point. McEnroe erased the second set point with a service winner, and Forget squandered the third when he hit a short backhand long.

McEnroe saved a fourth set point, at 7-6, with a service winner, and a fifth, at 8-7, with a pretty forehand topspin lob. On the sixth set point, McEnroe served into Forget's body and the Frenchman slapped the return into the net. McEnroe took his first lead, 10-9, with a service winner down the middle and wrapped up the set on the next point when Forget hit a backhand volley into the net. The Agassi-Becker match had been suspended by rain Wednesday with Becker leading 4-3 in the fourth set with a service break. The German came out strongly, holding at love for 5-3 and serving out the set in the 10th game with a service winner down the middle.

But Agassi overwhelmed Becker In the final set with his crushing returns and passing shots. It was Agassi's sixth straight victory over Becker, but the first on grass. In mixed doubles, the No. 1-seeded team of Todd Woodbridge, Australia, and Jana Novotna, Czechoslovakia, defeated Kent Kinnear, Greenwood, and Rosalyn Fairbank-Nideffer, South Africa, 6-3. 7-5.

4 5 -sis The Associated Press John McEnroe, who completed his victory today, returns a shot to Guy Forget on Wednesday. MCC talks tourney with MSA Ole! 'Dream Team' gets Olympic berth 8-team conference looks to go big give the tourney some Eastern flavor and exposure. Also, traditionally strong teams such as Xavler, Dayton and Evansville are expected to bring along large fallowings. Xavler, Evansville and Indianapolis-based Butler all have substantially increased their season ticket sales over the last few years. The MCC envisions one of its most competitive seasons in 1992-93.

Evansville, under former Indiana player and assistant Jim Crews, will return virtually its entire team from a 1992 appearance in the NCAA tournament. And Butler, under fourth-year coach Barry Collier, appears to have turned the corner. The MCC tournament's move back to Indianapolis may be accompanied by a name change. With the addition of Duquesne and La Salle, as well as further expansion possible within a year or so, the conference is thinking seriously about altering its label and logo. By TOM RIETMANN The Indianapolis News Eager to showcase a bigger and what they believe to be a better product, Midwestern Collegiate Conference officials plan to return their postseason basketball tournament to Indiana-polls next March.

MCC commissioner Jon Le-Crone confirmed Wednesday that the Indianapolis-based league is close to an agreement to stage the tourney in the city for the first time since 1988. A formal announcement will come when details are finalized with Market Square Arena. "I like the neutral site concept," said LeCrone, who Just completed his first month on the Job. "This isn't only a great opportunity for the conference and our member institutions, but It's also a good opportunity for the community our Even though John Stockton was out with a fractured right leg, Clyde Drexler took the night off with a sore right knee and Larry Bird missed his third straight game with a bad back, this was no contest. Michael Jordan saw to that.

He managed one of those hanging, sweeping dunks that seems to start two feet above the basket. He had a couple of spin moves for incredible layups. "I had some lanes open for myself and I had the urge to take advantage of them, so I went ahead," Jordan said. Then there was his pass off the backboard to Chicago teammate Scottie Pippen for a slam dunk. SceO BASKETBALL B-3 The MCC held its tournament in Indianapolis in 1986, '87 and '88, with an average attendance of 6,117 per session in the final year.

The average turnout last March, when the tourney was held in Cincinnati's Riverfront Coliseum, was 6,625. However, league officials envision a greater turnstile count in 1993. To help reach that goal, they're counting on an expanded eight-team field, more attendance from out-of-town fans and an improved marketing plan locally. "We really want the community to be involved and to embrace the event," said LeCrone, hoping to attract basketball fans who may have no direct ties to MCC schools. Four sessions are planned at MSA, starting on Thursday.

March 11, and concluding on Saturday, March 13. The cham- The Associated Press PORTLAND, Ore. No development on the planet could be less of a surprise than this one: The Dream Team has qualified for the Olympic Games. Even though it was without three players because of injury and playing for the fourth time in as nlany days, the United States squad romped over Argentina 128-87 on Wednesday night. "We were a little short-handed so we were concerned about the guard situation but as it turned out it was not a problem," coach Chuck Daly said.

No problem. That's been the story line for the United States thus far in the Tournament of the Americas. The Dream Team's average margin of victory has been 56 points. 1 1 Jon LeCrone Confirms near-agreement pionship game will be carried on ESPN-Cable. The addition of Duquesne (located In Pittsburgh) and La Salle (Philadelphia) to the MCC's basketball roster next season will Lebanon girls basketball coach doubles as an actress f-KT L4 i t-LrSL.

iiiiiwi t' TL7JS OUT Wayne Fuson shouldn't. The Games were founded to determine the best athletes in a world of peace. Read In one Wimbledon story that this is the hottest summer in England since 1976. How well some ot us remember 1976. That was the year the British Open was played at Royal Birk-dale and there were more headlines in the London tabloids about the weather than the tournament.

That was the hottest summer in England in a century, the Brits said. Oh yes, Johnny Miller won the championship and Jack Nicklaus and Seve Ballesteros tied for second. Speaking of the weather this year at Wimbledon. Eddie Pope of The Miami Herald wrote: "It's been so dry that housewives In the richer villages in the United Kingdom are watering their flower boxes with Evian." Bruce Crampton, who was here for the Youthllnks Indiana celebrity golf tournament this week, recalled his winning of the old 500 Festival Open the year It was held at Greentree, now called Twin Lakes. He said he won the NOTES written on the back of a package of firecrackers: If you've seen the movie "A League of Their Own," you may remember the third baseman (or third baseperson) for the Racine Belles.

She held her own when Madonna slid into third during a scene from the "World Series" between the top two "girls of summer" teams. What you may not have heard is that the third baseman is Penny Dietz Spolyar. the girls basketball coach at Lebanon High School. Penny, a native of Olney, 111., attended the University of Southern Indiana at Evansville, where much of the movie was filmed. She never played baseball (softball, yes) until she tried out maybe it's auditioned in movieland for the part.

She was one of 40 extras hired from a field of some 1,500 applicants. She probably Is on the screen more than any of the extras. Oh yes, she's eager to start work with her basketball team. She'd be happy to wipe out the memories of a 4-15 record last season. This will be her third year at Lebanon.

1 1 Put this dow in your book Thlt Is the last tin NBA players will be used on the United States Olympic team! Already four of the USA players have been hurt, and by the time they get back from Barcelona they'll all be exhausted. And, when the mighty dozen show up either banged up or washed out from their summer experience, there'll be a batch of irate coaches and general managers. And, chances are they'll nix further Olympic competition. Sure, it's great to see guys such as Larry Bird and Magic Johnson play together for the first and last time. These guys are so ood that if anybody comes within 25 points of them the USOO should have an But, "it's time, isn't it.

to get back to amateurs In the Olympics? Sure, other countries use professionals. But they tournament with a two-iron shot oM the 17th hole. He remembers it as t) best iron shot he ever hit. Bruce now is on the senior tour board. Rich MillerThe Indianapolis News Lebanon basketball coach Penny Dietz Spolyar now has baseball in her blood..