Luge Coach's Leg Severed In Accident

A woman member of the United States luge team slammed into the chief German coach during a practice run today, severing the coach's leg below the knee.

The accident happened in Winterberg, Germany, as athletes practiced for World Cup races this weekend.

Ingeborg Kollbach, spokeswoman for the luge run, said Sepp Lenz's left leg "was cut off below the knee" and that doctors were attempting a reattachment operation.

Kolbach said the junior luge racer, Bethany Calcagerra-McMahon, 19, of Waterford, Conn., was not injured but was in shock after the accident.

-- Katarina Witt, overcoming a near six-year absence from competitive figure skating, finished second today in the short-program portion of the German national championships. That left Witt, 28, in good position to remain among the top three (Olympic qualifying spots) after tomorrow's decisive free program.

-- Markus Foser scored Liechtenstein's first-ever men's World Cup downhill skiing victory today, winning the opening downhill of the season in Val Gardena, Italy. Austria's Werner Franz was second and LUXEMBOURG'S MARC GIRARDELLI, DEfending World Cup champion, was third.

-- Chris Ferraro scored two goals to lead Team USA to a 6-2 hockey victory over Finland in the Izvestia Cup tournament in Moscow.

Soccer

The revamped World Cup draw probably will improve the U.S. men's team's chances of advancing past the first round of next summer's tournament.

Under the format adopted yesterday in Las Vegas, Nev., the United States will have just one of the 11 strongest teams of the tournament in its group. With the old system, the U.S. team could have been joined by two of the top dozen teams.

Baseball

Donald Fehr, head of the Major League Players Association, said he doesn't know if the union will approve the proposed extra round of playoffs in time for next season.

Owners in September approved the plan to double the playoffs to eight teams and split each league into three divisions, but players must agree to any changes in the post-season setup.

-- Two owners and two officials, speaking on the condition they not be identified, discounted a report that Paul Kirk, former Democratic National Committee chairman, had emerged as a favorite to become the new baseball commissioner.

-- Rickey Henderson, free-agent outfielder, rejected an offer to return to the New York Yankees. Henderson, 34, finished last season with the Toronto Blue Jays.

-- Derrel Thomas, who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1979-83, pleaded no contest to a felony drug charge. He faces a possible three-year prison sentence.

Golf

Ben Garner of El Toro, Calif., who has played on the U.S. Junior Ryder Cup and U.S. Junior Amateur teams, signed a letter of intent to play at the University of Washington.

-- Scott Williams of Redmond shot a par 72 and was in a tie for 12th place at the PGA Assistant Pro Championships in La Quinta, Calif. Steve Brady of Rochester Hills, Mich., took a two-stroke lead into the final round of the 72-hole tournament.

-- Ernie Els shot a 5-under-par 66 to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of a $2.7 million tournament in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

College football

Duke hired Rice's Fred Goldsmith to lead the Blue Devils' beleaguered program. Goldsmith, 49, replaces Barry Wilson, who resigned after posting a four-year record of 13-31-1.

-- Cornerback Clifton Abraham squelched rumors that he plans to turn pro, announcing he would return for his senior season at Florida State.

College volleyball

Long Beach State and Penn State will play for the women's NCAA volleyball title tomorrow in Madison, Wis. Long Beach State defeated Florida 15-10, 15-6, 15-3, while Penn State beat Brigham Young 15-13, 6-15, 16-14, 15-12 in the semifinals.

Outdoors

Bill Wilkerson, state fisheries director from 1983-86, said he will seek the regional directorship of the National Marine Fisheries Service. Rollie Schmitten's successor is expected to be named early next year. In October, Schmitten was named national fisheries director.

Local note

Don James, former University of Washington coach, will receive the Tony Gasparovich Memorial Coach award from the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame on Sunday morning at the Westin Hotel. The award, named for the longtime Seattle high-school coach, honors coaches who instill eagerness in and provide a stabilizing influence for players.

- Seattle Times news services