Hydro Driver Sues After '87 Accident That Caused Coma

-- LEGAL MATTERS

Former unlimited hydroplane driver Steve Reynolds has filed a lawsuit charging that a defective safety system contributed to injuries from a 1987 racing accident in Madison, Ind.

The American Powerboat Association, the Unlimited Racing Commission, Lucero Enterprises, Inc. and Bell Manufacturing are defendants in the action filed Wednesday in King County Superior Court.

Reynolds suffered a serious head injury when his boat flipped during the 1987 Indiana Governor's Cup race, even though the cockpit of the Cellular One hydro was encased in a bullet-proof F-16 canopy. The accident left him a coma for weeks.

-- FOOTBALL

Fullback Alonzo Highsmith, the third pick in the 1987 draft who played for Houston and Dallas, was claimed on waivers by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

-- Rookie Brad Goebel got the nod ahead of Pat Ryan to start at quarterback when Philadelphia plays Tampa Bay Sunday. Ryan had replaced injured Jim McMahon in Monday's 23-0 NFL loss to Washington.

-- Three days after his arrest on drug charges, New York Giants linebacker Steve DeOssie revealed he has an alcohol problem.

-- Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas, who led the Buffalo Bills to five straight victories, were named AFC offensive players of the month. AFC defensive player: Kansas City's Neil Smith. NFC winners: Detroit's Barry Sanders and New Orleans linebacker Sam Mills.

-- TENNIS

Goran Ivanisevic stunned Andre Agassi with a career high 27 aces and won 7-5, 7-6 (7-3) today in the quarterfinals of the Australian Indoor Championship in Sydney.

Tomorrow Ivanisevic plays top-seeded Stefan Edberg, who beat Michael Chang. The other semifinal pits Brad Gilbertagainst Pete Sampras.

-- Third-seeded Mary Joe Fernandez struggled to a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Magdalena Maleeva, 16, and advanced to the semifinals of Italy's Milan Indoor.

No. 1 Monica Seles beat Laura Garrone 6-0, 6-1 in 49 minutes to reach the quarterfinals; No. 2 Martina Navratilova topped Rachel McQuillan 6-7 (6-8), 6-0, 6-0.

-- John McEnroe breezed into the quarterfinals of the Toulouse (France) Grand Prix with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Tomas Carbonell.

-- Jana Novotna beat Anke Huber 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to advance to a spot in the semis vs. Arantxa Sanchez, who beat Barbara Ritter 6-1, 6-1, at the Leipzig (Germany) International. Steffi Graf returned from out-of-town treatment for a wrist injury and plans to play in tomorrow's semifinal.

-- BASEBALL

Frank Colarusso, formerly assistant general manager, today was named general manager of the Tacoma Tigers replacing Stan Naccarato, who is retiring.

-- Shortstop Shawon Dunston, eligible for free agency, and the Chicago Cubs agreed to terms on a four-year contract.

-- William Shea, who brought National League baseball back to New York in 1962, is dead at 84.

-- GOLF

Keith Clearwater shot a 7-under-par 63 to grab a one-stroke lead over Karl Kimball after the first round of the Texas Open in San Antonio.

-- Danielle Ammaccapane fired a 4-under-par 69 and took a three-stroke lead over three golfers after the first round of the World Championship of Women's Golf in Cairns, Australia.

-- AUTO RACING

Mark Martin had a record-smashing run in his Ford Thunderbird to win the pole for Sunday's stock car race at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway at 176.499 mph for his fifth pole of the season.

-- BOWLING

Robert Gibbs, won his first pro title by beating John Hricsina 203-196 to win the Woodside Senior PBA Open in Naples Fla. Gibbs beat Tacoma's David Tuell Jr. 222-188, in the semis.

-- BASKETBALL

Orlando Magic center Greg Kite was hospitalized this week for treatment of irregular heartbeat.

-- Sophomore guard Earnest Killum, Oregon State's most touted recruit since Gary Payton who sat out his freshman year to become academically eligible, will miss the 1991-92 season because of a problem with blood clots.

-- RUNNING

New Zealand's Sandy Barwick became the first woman to finish the Sri Chinmoy 1,300-mile race, the world's longest certified run, reaching the finish line in Flushing Meadow Park, N.Y. in 17 days, 22 hours. She tore a thigh muscle at 1,000 miles yet finished.

Al Bowie of Vancouver, B.C., set a world best of 16 days, 19 hours.

-- LOCAL NOTES

Coach Dang Pibulvech took the Washington Huskies women's soccer team to Colorado Springs to face Colorado College, the school Pibulvech took to the NCAA playoffs the past seven years. The Huskies (3-4-1) lost 6-0.

-- Washington State (14-4) made its first appearance in the top 20 of the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll.

-- Desi Storey, two-year letterman for Central Washington in 1981 and '82, has been named the school's baseball coach.

-- The YMCA Basketball Classic is a free 10-shot accuracy event for all ages set for tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 10 Puget Sound YMCAs.