Sports Briefs: Butch Reynolds joins OSU staff

Tuesday, Dec. 3, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

Butch Reynolds, the world record holder in the 400 meters, has returned to Ohio State as an assistant track coach.

Reynolds, 32, who set the world mark of 43.29 seconds in 1988, will focus on recruiting and work primarily with the Buckeyes' sprinters and middle-distance runners, coach Russ Rogers said.

"The people in the track community respect Butch," Rogers said. "He can help me most with his recruiting, because he communicates well with kids. He is very positive and he knows what he is doing."

Reynolds, who won gold and silver medals in the 1988 Olympics, will continue to compete on the professional circuit, including the Mobil indoor meets and European outdoor championships.

"I want to work with kids who want to get to where I've been," said Reynolds, a 10-time Big Ten champion at Ohio State from 1985-87. "A lot of these kids we are recruiting don't know what is expected of them."

He dropped out the 400 semifinals in the Atlanta Games because of hamstring cramps after failing to qualify in 1992 while fighting a drug suspension handed down by the International Amateur Athletic Federation.

Reynolds later won a $27.3 million judgment against the IAAF, but the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals threw out the award in May 1994, saying the case involved events in Europe.

Golf awards

British Open champion Tom Lehman was selected the Golf Writers Association of America's player of the year, England's Laura Davies was honored as the top women's player and Las Vegan Jim Colbert took the senior award. Lehman, who won the season-ending Tour Championship to take the PGA Tour money title with $1,780,159, received 187 votes in balloting announced Monday. Tiger Woods was second with 20 and Phil Mickelson third with nine. Davies, who edged Australia's Karrie Webb 79-51, won two major titles -- the LPGA Championship and the du Maurier Classic -- along with two other tour events and the Skins Game. She won three times in Europe and twice in Japan. Colbert who won five tournaments and defended his money title with $1,627,890, received 84 votes, seven more than Hale Irwin.

NFL probes Ravens' Stark

Rookie Baltimore Ravens quarterback Jon Stark is being investigated by the NFL to determine if he associated with gamblers. In the meantime, Stark is on administrative leave with pay. He has been rehabilitating an injury this season and has not even practiced with the team. Ravens spokesman Kevin Byrne confirmed Monday night that Stark met with NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue and was ordered to have no association with the team until the league concludes its investigation. No details were available on the accusations against the player. Byrne said it is not believed that Stark had any association with gambling on NFL games. Ravens owner Art Modell told The Washington Post he did not know the extent of the alleged association and is "withholding judgment." He said the investigation was initiated two weeks ago by the Ravens, when Modell received information about Stark's alleged associations and contacted the league's security office. Stark, a seventh-round draft choice, played at Trinity International after earlier stints at Florida State and Liberty. He tore a rotator cuff in minicamp and never practiced with the team.

Thai wins junior fly title

Thailand's Pitchinoi Siriwat stopped Japan's Keiji Yamaguchi with a right hook at 2:45 of the second round tonight in Osaka, Japan, to take the World Boxing Association's junior flyweight title. Siriwat, 16-1 with 10 knockouts, missed with a left before catching Yamaguchi (20-2) with the right hook to the jaw that sent the champion crashing to his back, with his head hitting the canvas. Yamaguchi, making the second defense of the title he won from Panama's Carlos Murillo on May 21, tried to continue, but Italian referee Renato Caddeo elected to stop the fight.

Quickies

Memphis University football coach Rip Scherer received a two-year extension despite losing records in his first two seasons. The Tigers, 3-8 last year and 4-7 this season, staged one of the biggest upsets in school history by beating Tennessee 21-17 on Nov. 9. ... UCLA backup quarterback Steve Buck will transfer following the completion of the fall quarter, coach Bob Toledo said. Buck has not decided where he is going to school, but Toledo indicated it would be a Division I-AA institution so the quarterback will be able to play next fall and retain two years of eligibility. ... The San Diego Padres signed infielder Rene Gonzales, catcher Carlos Hernandez and left-hander Bryan Eversgerd to minor-league contracts and invited them to spring training. Gonzales has spent all or parts of 12 years in the major leagues, with six organizations. Hernandez had spent his entire 12-year career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, including all or part of the last seven seasons in the majors. ... Pitcher Sid Fernandez agreed to a one-year contract with the Houston Astros, who also signed infielder Pat Listach and re-signed infielder Bill Spiers. ... Left-hander Lance Painter, an original member of the Colorado Rockies, was claimed on waivers by the St. Louis Cardinals. Painter, 29, was 4-2 with a 5.86 ERA in 34 appearances last season before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery.