ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, July 18, 1996 TAG: 9607180083
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
Texas baseball coach Cliff Gustafson, the winningest coach in NCAA Division I history, retired Wednesday after questions were raised about the finances of school's summer baseball camp.
``I accept Coach Gustafson's retirement with deep regret,'' Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds said. ``He has been a model coach and a mentor to some of the game's greatest players. His winning teams are part of UT's tradition.''
Gustafson, who coached Texas to national championships in 1975 and 1983 while building a record of 1,466-377-2, submitted a letter announcing his retirement to UT officials.
Dodds said Gustafson would remain in the athletic department in another capacity. He didn't elaborate.
The university said an internal auditor's report indicated irregularities in the financial records of the youth baseball camp program.
BASKETBALL Magic
signs Horace Grant
It's still unclear whether Shaquille O'Neal will be back with the Orlando Magic, but Horace Grant definitely will.
Grant, 31, a power forward, signed a 5-year deal Wednesday worth $50 million. Grant, who averaged 13.4 points and 9.2 rebounds last season, arrived as a free agent from the Chicago Bulls in 1994 and earned $2.7 million last season.
``When I signed here a couple years ago, [Magic owner] Rich DeVos gave me his word that I'd retire here,'' said Grant, who won three NBA titles with the Bulls, during a news conference at the Magic's offices to announce his signing. ``He's kept his part of the bargain, and now it's up to me to keep my part in terms of leadership and doing the things necessary to win a championship here.''
That may be difficult if O'Neal doesn't remain with the Magic. The free-agent center, who is being courted by the Los Angeles Lakers, remains undecided about where to play next season.
nFive former Boston Celtics and coach Red Auerbach were voted to the All-Time Superteam, a squad of retired NBA players designated by their contemporaries as the best ever to play the game.
Larry Bird, Bob Cousy, John Havlicek, Bill Walton and Bill Russell gave the Celtics the greatest representation on the 13-player team.
Others voted to the squad were Rick Barry, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Erving, George Mikan, Bob Pettit, Oscar Robertson, and Jerry West.
nBud Foster, who coached Wisconsin to its only NCAA basketball championship, died Tuesday. He was 90.
Foster, who coached Wisconsin teams from 1934 to 1959, also played basketball for the Badgers from 1928 to 1930.
nAn NBA doctor has confirmed that Brad Daugherty's lingering back problems won't improve enough for him to resume his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Daugherty has been out for two years with back pain. The confirmation should clear the way for the Cavs to remove Daugherty's $5 million salary from the team's salary cap and make the money available for other players.
OLYMPICS Oerter
to carry torch
Al Oerter, a four-time gold medal winning discus thrower, will be the last torch bearer before the Olympic flame enters the stadium for the opening ceremonies in Atlanta on Friday night.
The role of Oerter, who won his medals in the 1956, '60, '64 and '68 games, was disclosed Wednesday as the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games released the end route of the torch relay.
nTeams from 192 of the 197 countries scheduled to take part in the Atlanta Games had arrived by Wednesday night, IOC officials said. Laos, Burma, Turkmenistan, Guinea Bissau and Sudan were the only five countries missing, IOC sports director Gilbert Felli said.
ETC. DieHard 400 date
may move to fall
They say NASCAR is one of the hottest sports going. But apparently it's not quite hot enough to beat the July heat because the folks at Talladega Superspeedway want to move the DieHard 500 to October.
``This is something we've thought about for years and years,'' track spokesman Jim Freeman said. ``We've had fans and drivers tell us over the years, `It's too damn hot. When are you going to move the race?'''
But the move isn't assured because race sponsor Sears is concerned that TV ratings might drop for a fall race.
LENGTH: Medium: 91 linesby CNB