Star-Phoenix from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada • 13

The StarPhoenix Wednesday, August 26, 1992 SECTION SPOITS NHL keeps on punching SPORTS EDITOR KEN JUBA Phone 664-8231 Fax 664-0437 I PLAYBILL SOCCER SDSA Outdoor Women's First Divi sion: Spirits vs Sneakers, 7 p.m. at Umea Hollandia Internationals vs Hollandia Aiax, 7 p.m. at Umea Huskies vs AFC United, 9 p.m. at Umea W. RUGBY North Sask.

Union Men's Second Division: Wild Oat All Blacks vs Wild Oats, 7 p.m. 1 0" 'l. at Avenue pitch. CYCLING BMX Racing: Registration from p.m., with races at 7 at baskatoon Elk's Lodge No. 12 BMX track.

vor of changing the fighting rule. Thirteen votes, a simple majority of the governors, are required for approval. Acting league president Gil Stein described the discussion about the instigation rule as rollicking but high level. "And as we had hoped, and expected, out of that debate came a concern and focus that the fans' belief was very, very strong that truly spontaneous fighting isn't the problem in the game," he said. "It's the tactic of fighting, sending a person out to start a fight that's what we really want to eliminate." Those in the anti-fighting camp argued that not increasing the penalty for fisticuffs would hinder the NHL's chances of securing a network TV contract in the United States that might help ensure economic growth of the league.

The pro-fighting forces countered that a ban would promote an increase in illegal stickwork which would be far more dangerous than players venting frustration through fighting. The NHL's braintrust also decided to: Return to no substitutions for coincidental minor penalties. Experiment in pre-season games with penalties for high-sticking for any contact with a stick above the waist. A vote will be taken to determine if the ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.

(CP) -The NHL backed away from banning fighting outright Tuesday but took a swing at players who instigate fisticuffs by deciding to eject them from games. "Those are the kinds of guys we don't want in there anyway," said Pat Quinn, president and general manager of the Vancouver Canucks. Quinn was opposed to a proposal that both participants in a fight be ejected. Until now, a player who starts a fight has received a two-minute minor penalty on top of a five-minute fighting major. "We do not want the instigator," said Quinn.

"We do not want the premeditated fight. "The spontaneous fight was the only thing I was trying to respect." "It is very significant," said Harry Sinden, general manager of the Boston Bruins, who pushed for harsher punishment. "It (fighting) should no longer be a tactic by a team to win a hockey game." The decision by the board of governors to eject instigators was made after at least seven teams pressed to have fighting banned outright. The debate Tuesday began with seven of the 24 NHL clubs Los Angeles, Minnesota, Boston, Pittsburgh, Montreal, Washington and Winnipeg in fa alteration will be retained for the regular season. Make helmet use optional for the first time since 1979, when all players signing their first NHL contract were forced to wear headgear.

Helmets remained optional for those who had already played in the league. Call a penalty for a player who holds an opponent's stick. Call an unsportmanlike penalty for diving. "We have put a lot of fcood work in cleaning up a lot of distasteful things in our game," said Quinn. The rule changes on high-sticking and instigating were welcomed by Bob Nicholson, technical director of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association.

"Those are great rules from everybody's standpoint," Nicholson said from Ottawa. "The high-sticking rule is the kind of thing we have to work at at the amateur level. "We can preach and preach and preach but when kids turned on television and saw pros using their sticks, they see it and feel they can do it." Nicholson said the decision to make helmets optional was "strange" but he felt it would have no spinoff effect. "Kids have to wear them from age six up and they feel it is part of their equipment." TELEVISION LISTINGS mO Baseball Montreal at Atlanta, 5:30 i- rrt p.m. (DQ Baseball Toronto at Chicago White box, p.m.

(joined in progress; LOCAL GIL STEIN a rollicking debate In other business, NHL presidentelect Gil Stein announced the resignations of vice-presidents Brian O'Neill, the league's executive vice-president who was the league's judge and jury on player suspensions, and Joel Nixon, who was in charge of broadcasting. SHARING LEAD: Gerry Street of Saskatoon and Jill Greenwood from Missis-sauga, Ont, shared the lead Tuesday after the first round of the Canadian senior women's golf championship at Dartmouth, N.S. Playing in the same group, Street and Greenwood each 1 1 STREET posted a six-over-par 76 to lead the 54-hole champion- ship at the Brightwood Golf and Country Club. Joanne Goulet from Regina recorded a 78, while Saskatoon's Barb Danaher had an 81 and Vivian Holizki from Regina an 86, to round out Sask atchewan's scores. "These greens are tricky here," said Street, a former Saskatchewan sen ior champion.

"I'm sure the scores will be bet ter tomorrow, once people have gotten used to the greens a little bit. In team play, Sask atchewan led Ontario by one stroke with a team total of 235. Quebec was four strokes off the lead. I INTERNATIONAL I New league in a hurry to secure buildings By Vance Oliver of The StarPhoenix The paper chase is in full flight for the American Hockey Association. League co-founder Charlie Hodgins confirmed Tuesday a lease with the Moorhead Sports Center had been approved by that city's council Monday night.

Pat O'Halloran, another founding father, was present to hear the favorable news in the Minnesota city. The Moorhead approval brings the number of signed leases to two for the A)'! after receiving the nod last Friday for the Bismarck Civic Center. Approval from Saskatchewan Place, meanwhile, may come as soon as next Wednesday. SaskPlace officials Ken Wood and Rob Jones were drawing up the final agreement on Tuesday. (The lease would include 32 home dates at Sask RICE SIGNS: Receiver Jerry Rice signed a San Francisco 49ers contract yesterday designed to make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL for the next three years.

Details of the package were not immediately available, but it is believed to be worth nearly $8 million over three years. Agent Jim Steiner RICE 'mm I i iv i. It's a stretch Corey Ens (left) of Village Press dives back to second base as Dean Owen of the Norman Merchants awaits the throw during Saskatoon Amateur Softball Association action Tuesday at Gordie Howe Park. Ens was safe, but it was the Norman Merchants who won the special men's division game 9-8. (SP Photo by Greg Pender) Place).

If the contract and downpay-ment is agreeable to Hodgins and approv said the contract makes Rice about the ninth highest player in the league, with the top eight being quarterbacks. Miami's Dan Marino leads the NFL payrolls with a contract that averages $4.43 million a year. Among the non-quarterbacks, Rice's deal vaults him ahead of rookie Indianapolis lineman Steve Emtman, who has a four-year deal for $9,165 million. JURY STILL OUT? Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf said Tuesday he hadn't made up his mind on whether Fay Vincent should be forced out as commissioner, but said he believed he could be fired by the owners. "Every lawyer that I have spoken to has concluded that a commissioner can be removed from office," Reinsdorf said.

"But let's deal with that if we get to that point. "We haven't gotten to that point yet." Reinsdorf said he was one of the seven owners in the American League who requested the meeting, which will be held next Thursday at Rosemont, 111. AL president Bobby Brown and National League president Bill White called the meeting Monday after Vincent refused to. Vincent's opponents say 18 to 20 owners oppose the commissioner, but his supporters say the anti-Vincent faction is only 10 to 12. Sports Hall of Shame by Nash Zullo al for the lease will go before SaskPlace's executive board Sept.

2. "We would want to know they have the financial wherewithal, at least so there's Roughriders' Ford opposed to picking up tab for Lions HODGINS wwy'M" i. ft-" funds to hold that many dates in our building," said Jones, marketing director at SaskPlace. The AHA hopes to have the leases for the other two buildings, State Fairgrounds in St. Paul, and the Memorial Building in Hibbing, inked before the end of the month.

Talks are also underway with building officials in Green Bay, and Regina. Hodgins, meanwhile, said an owner has already been secured for St. Paul. Dick Moore, who was a partner with O'Halloran of the St. Paul franchise in the ill-fated Continental Hockey Assoca-tion, will be the sole owner this time around.

A couple of unidentified owners are also said to be solid for the franchise in Fargo-Moorhead on the North Dakota Minnesota border. The AHA, which plans to faceoff in November, also has prospective owners in Saskatoon, Hibbing, and Bismarck, N.D. "We've got interest in every place, but we're not dependent on anybody," Hodgins said. "The league will run every team, if it has to." News conferences to identify various league officials andor local owners could be held as early as next week. Hodgins added.

for $1, providing the buyer takes over operating debts of about $800,000 to $1 million. The president of the Roughriders, Phil Kershaw, told the Leader-Post Monday it might be easier if the league operated the Lions until a new owner can be found. "That way it would be easier for the league to find a new buyer," Kershaw said. "If you have Pezim in there, you have to go through two levels because you need approval of the league to transfer the franchise. It may simplify things if he was to turn the club over to the league." CFL commissioner Larry Smith is in Vancouver again this week trying to sort out the Lions' problems.

"He (Smith) and Pezim are working on something," said Roger Kelly, the Lions' director of media relations. "I'm sure things will work out." Kelly said the players were paid after last week's game against Calgary. "We (Lions) are certainly coming to Regina for the game this Saturday. And we hope it's our first win." Kelly said the Lions should have three new players in their line-up: import defensive end Quency Williams, obtained from Winnipeg; import cornerback Rico Cartwright, obtained By Marg Ommanney of The StarPhoenix The general manager of the Saskatchewan Roughriders says he would oppose a CFL takeover of the financially strapped B.C. Lions football team.

"If someone asked me if I'd be willing to put up one-seventh of the money that's required to run the B.C. Lions for the rest of the season, I would say no," Alan Ford said Tuesday in a telephone interview from Regina. "Obviously the board of directors of this football club would have some say in it too. "The Ottawa situation was simply too big a drain on us, on our club, so I'd vote against it." Ford said that doesn't mean the other clubs in the league would also oppose taking over the expenses of the Lions. "However, it certainly would be our stance unless there were some strong extenuating circumstances." Last year, when the Ottawa Rough Riders were drowning in a financial quagmire, it cost each of the seven league teams some $250,000 to keep the club afloat until it was bought by Detroit developer Bernie Glieberman.

The Lions' owner, Murray Pezim, announced Monday he isn't willing to put any more money into his struggling team. He's put the franchise up for sale ALAN FORD Riders can't afford it WUAT WAS ASTKX PrfZHEKMARK LBVONfcEUO'S CUrRfcEO06 REAOnoHTD A LOSS IN 1976? MERAIMTOTaJJBMCUSElUA FURY AND DCXE HEADLONG ONTO THE TEAM'S BUFFET TABLE LACCVl WU RXP REWLLEP ATEAMMATB, JUSTLATrHEttCamDHTH from Hamilton; and non-import Mark Scott, obtained from Saskatchewan. Lions no easy sell Page B3 C1901 Tribune Madli SnfCM. Ik. AJI RtgM Rwcnred RALLY TIME: GAME SASKATCHEN 5:30 p.m.

at the practice field, nnnnon. Fun for the whole family! SPONSOR: cocf5'a Bottling mt vs Bi-Rite Drugs B.C. Liu' FOR TICKETS CALL: 1-525-2181 or 1-800-667-8179 Spars Ticket Wicket 22U eneir btctipis ROUGHRmERS SATURDAY, AUG. 29TH 7:30 P.M. TAYLOR FIELD.