Hatfield Leaves Arkansas For Clemson Job

-- COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Arkansas Coach Ken Hatfield accepted the head coaching job at Clemson yesterday, and a threatened player boycott was averted after he met with the South Carolina team.

Hatfield, who coached the Razorbacks for six years and led them to the Cotton Bowl the past two seasons, replaces Danny Ford, who resigned last Thursday, less than two weeks after the NCAA accused Clemson of recruiting violations. Saturday, the Clemson players said that if Ford was not reinstated or an assistant wasn't promoted, they would sit out next season.

Hatfield, 46, compiled a 55-17-1 record at Arkansas, guiding the Razorbacks to six bowl appearances in as many years. Before that he had a 27-31-1 record at Air Force from 1979-83.

-- Jack Crowe, 41, offensive coordinator at Arkansas, was named the Razorbacks' new head coach, replacing Hatfield. Crowe was named in some of the NCAA allegations, but Arkansas Athletic Director Frank Broyles said last week he had reviewed the matter and believed there was no wrongdoing by Crowe.

Crowe joined the Arkansas staff in February, 1989. Before that he was an assistant at Auburn, Wyoming and North Alabama and was head coach at Livingston.

-- SKIING

Pirmin Zurbriggen of Switzerland took a big step toward a record-equalling fourth World Cup overall title with a 12th-place finish in the slalom, giving him first place in the two-day combined event in Kitzbuehel, Austria. Zurbriggen finished third in Saturday's 50th Hahnenkamm downhill.

Rudi Nierlich of Austria won the slalom with a two-run time of 1:43.51.

-- Vreni Schneider of Switzerland, who complained of knee problems a day earlier, had the fastest time in both runs of the women's slalom in Maribor, Yugoslavia, and widened her lead in World Cup slalom standings. Schneider was timed in 1:19.93, easily beating Ida Ladstaetter of Austria.

-- Austrian Bernhard Knauss beat Phil Mahre of Yakima in the championship round of the U.S. Pro Tour event at Oregon's Mount Bachelor.

-- Sweden's Catharina Glasser-Bjerner took first place two days in a row, winning the slalom and giant slalom at the Women's Pro Tour stop in Stowe, Vt.

-- AUTO RACING

An accident four miles from the finish line on the second day of the Monte Carlo rally took the life of French driver Francis Malaussene and seriously injured co-driver Jean-Claude Bertaudiere. Didier Auriol of France, who led the event at the end of the first day, continued to lead through today's special stages.

-- HORSE RACING

Silver Ending, purchased for only $1,500, may have a May date in the Kentucky Derby after a three-length victory in the Grade III $300,000 El Camino Real Derby at Bay Meadows. The winner was ridden by Gary Stevens.

-- Santa Anita officials have scheduled a special $100,000 stakes race Feb. 3 for Bill Shoemaker's final ride.

-- Putting outran his English-bred stablemate, Colway Rally, to win the $173,100 San Marcos Handicap at Santa Anita.

-- Highland Springs won the $100,000 Appleton Handicap at Florida's Gulfstream Park.

-- RUNNING

Rick Fenno ran away with the Tucson Marathon men's title, finishing nearly 17 minutes ahead of his nearest competitor. Fenno, 32, a Tuscon resident, covered the 26.2-mile loop throughout the city in 2 hours, 25 minutes, 45 seconds. Carol Pedretti of Minnetonka, Minn., was the first woman to finish. She was 19th overall in 3:00:40.

-- Canadian sprinter Jillian Richardson, silver medalist in the women's 400 meters four years ago, was thrown out of the Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand, after attempting to move into the Nigerian quarters after officials had refused her demand for a single room.