Challenge Of Ages? Dr. J Vs. Kareem: 1-On-1 On Cable

-- TV SPORTS

Basketball fans can tune in Feb. 28 to pay-for-view cable for a one-on-one showdown between Dr. J. and Kareem.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 44, who retired in 1989 as the NBA's leading career scorer, will take on Julius Erving, 41, the No. 3 all-time scorer who quit in 1987, in Atlantic City, N.J., in an event hyped as a "world championship."

The question remains: How many people will tune in check out the rusty skills of two old greats.

"The competitive juices never stopped," Erving said. "Talent doesn't just die."

The promoters call the event the "Skins Game" of basketball.

Jabbar and Erving are guaranteed six-figure purses, and part of the proceeds from the telecast will go to the Magic Johnson Foundation for the battle against the AIDS virus.

-- GOLF

Bernhard Langer tied the tournament record with a 7-under-par 65 today and took a four-shot lead after the second round of the Million Dollar Challenge in Sun City, South Africa.

Seven of the 10 players broke par in the quest for golf's richest top prize - $1 million. Langer's 133 total tied the tourney record for 36 holes.

First round-leader Mark McNulty of Zimbabwe shot 71 and fell to second place. American Mark Calcavecchia fired a 67 to moved into third, six shots behind Langer. Fred Couples carded his second straight 71.

-- The teams of Ted Schulz-Jane Crafter and Mike Hulbert-Laura Davies shot 7-under-par 64s to share the first-round lead in a pairs tournament in Tarpon Springs, Fla.

-- BASEBALL

An arbitrator today denied Otis Nixon's grievance against his 60-day drug suspension, which means the free-agent outfielder will miss the first 18 days of the 1992 season.

-- OLYMPICS

The International Olympic Committee said blood testing poses no religious or legal problems and could be introduced as an anti-doping measure in 1992.

Prince Alexandre de Merode, chairman of the IOC's medical commission, said the procedure could be put into practice as soon as doctors devise a suitable testing system.

If approved, blood testing would likely be introduced at the Summer Games in Barcelona.

-- Defenseman Jason Woolley collected two goals and four assists as Team Canada beat Team USA 10-6 in pre-Olympic exhibition hockey in Kitchener, Ontario.

-- TENNIS

Boris Becker of Germany beat Jan Siemerink of the Netherlands 7-6 (7-0), 6-3 and Aaron Krickstein of the United States defeated compatriot Patrick McEnroe 6-1, 6-4 to advance to the quarterfinals of the European Community Championship in Antwerp, Belgium.

-- Martina Navratilova defeated Jennifer Capriati 6-1, 6-4 in an exhibition match in Lexington, Ky.

-- SAILING

Rod Davis, who has dual citizenship in New Zealand and the U.S., has been named skipper of the New Zealand Challenge for the 1992 America's Cup.

-- RECRUITING

Reggie Paul, player of the year in the Northwest community-college ranks last season, has signed a letter of intent to enroll and play basketball at Seattle Pacific University.

Paul, a 6-foot-3 sophomore from Los Angeles, led Northwest CC players in scoring, averaging 23.6 points and nine rebounds per game for Grays Harbor College.

-- HUNTING

The Canada goose season in Cowlitz County and on lands in Clark County outside the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge closed yesterday, according to the Washington Department of Wildlife.