Detroit, Windsor Bid To Co-Host Olympic Games

Officials from Detroit and neighboring Windsor, Ontario, are exploring entering a bid to co-host the 2008 Olympics, a proposal that would make them the Games' first international host.

The proposal calls for sporting events to be divided between the two cities with the Detroit River, which separates the cities, serving as a focal point for opening ceremonies.

Both the Canadian Olympic Association and U.S. Olympic Committee have no provisions for joint bids, so Windsor and Detroit officials must make a case for amending the groups' by-laws. Preliminary bids must be submitted to the IOC by 1997.

Windsor and Detroit officials hope their proposal would appeal to the IOC and give Detroit and Windsor an advantage over other cities.

Hockey

Center Ray Ferraro, the New York Islanders' leading scorer last season, joined the rival New York Rangers.

Ferraro, 30, an unrestricted free agent, signed a contract that will reportedly earn him $4.8 million over three years with an option year worth about $1.7 million.

-- Don Hay has resigned after 10 years as head coach of the Kamloops Blazers, the WHL team that won the Memorial Cup this year.

Tennis

The World Tennis Association made it official, announcing that Monica Seles will share the No. 1 ranking with Steffi Graf when she returns to tournament tennis next month, 2 1/2 years after being stabbed in the back during a match.

The co-ranking of No. 1 will exist at least through the first six tournaments that Seles plays, WTA president Martina Navratilova said.

-- French Open champion Thomas Muster advanced to the third round of the $1.04-million Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart, Germany, with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Marcelo Rios.

Third-seeded Sergi Bruguera advanced, but No. 7 Jacco Eltingh and eighth-seeded Alex Corretja were eliminated.

-- Top-seeded Andre Agassi defeated Rodolphe Gilbert 6-2, 6-2 in the second round of the Legg Mason Classic in Washington.

No. 4 Todd Martin and fifth-seeded Jason Stoltenberg advanced, but No. 7 Olivier Delaitre, No. 8 Richey Reneberg, and No. 9 Aaron Krickstein were eliminated.

Basketball

Corliss Williamson, the Sacramento Kings' first-round draft pick, underwent surgery in Little Rock, Ark., to remove a herniated disc.

Williamson, an All-America forward at Arkansas and a two-time Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, was taken 13th overall by the Kings in last month's draft.

-- The United States was beaten 82-65 by Croatia, knocking the defending champion from medal contention at the Junior World Championship in Athens, Greece.

Colleges

Drake University's athletic program was reprimanded and placed on probation for one year by the NCAA for basketball recruiting violations made while trying to sign forward Stevie Johnson. His application to Drake eventually was rejected.

Bowling

Substitute Jeanne Naccarato of Tacoma led her team with a 203 average and then came up with four key shots in the championship game as Contour Power Grips of Detroit beat Team USA 393-331 to win the women's team championship of the $175,000 Brunswick Team Challenge at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno.

Team USA beat Turbo 2-N-1 Grips of Chesterfield, Mich., 370-363 to win the men's title.

- Seattle Times news services