The Toronto Blue Jays signed free agent utilityman Darnell Coles, who hit .312 in 55 games with Cincinnati last season. Coles, 30, started the 1992 season with Nashville of the Double-A Southern League and was called up to the Reds in May. He had three homers and 18 RBI before suffering a season-ending ankle injury sliding into home Aug. 25 against Philadelphia. Coles has a career average of .247 with 63 homers in parts of 10 major-league seasons.
NEWLN: Basketball
The Houston Rockets activated All-Star forward Otis Thorpe from the injured list and placed center Tree Rollins on the injured list with tendinitis in his left knee. Thorpe suffered a bruised kidney in the final exhibition game Oct. 20. He had played in 542 straight games (the ninth longest streak in N-B-A history) coming into this season. Thorpe, 30, averaged 17.3 points and 10.5 rebounds last season. Rollins averaged 0.4 points and 1.8 rebounds this season....The Sacramento Kings signed free agent forwards Kurt Rambis and Rod Higgins and waived Stan Kimbrough. Rambis, 34, is in his 12th NBA season and was released last week by Phoenix. He played on four NBA championship teams with the Lakers in the 1980s. Higgins, a 10-year NBA veteran, spent last season with Golden State. Both are expected to play against New Jersey Saturday night.NEWLN: Hockey
Toronto center Doug Gilmour was suspended for eight days without pay for hitting Tomas Sandstrom of Los Angeles with his stick in a game last Saturday. Sandstrom suffered a fractured forearm. Gilmour will lose $28, 984 in pay. He was fined an additional $500 and the Maple Leafs were fined $28,984.NEWLN: Horse Racing
The veterinarian treating champion British steeplechaser Desert Orchid said the horse's chances for recovery were 50-50 after his operation for colic. Veterinarian Tim Greet, the senior surgeon in a five-strong team that operated on Desert Orchid, said he had seen many horses come through the dangerous operation only to suffer a relapse. Desert Orchid is a four-time former winner of the King George VI Stakes and has also won the Whitbread Gold Cup and the Irish Grand National in a career that included 34 victories.NEWLN: Soccer
Dale Ervine scored three goals to lift the United States to a 4-2 comeback victory over Iran, putting the U.S. indoor national team into the finals of the World Indoor Soccer Championships at Hong Kong. The United States will face defending champion Brazil Saturday night in the championship match of the five-on-five tournament. Brazil defeated Spain 4-1 in the other semifinal.
