Baja Motorcyclist Hamel Killed

Five-time Baja champion Danny Hamel was killed Saturday when his motorcycle collided with the car of a motorist who strayed onto the off-road race course, said Hamel’s teammate, Larry Roeseler.

Hamel, 23, of Boulder City, Nev., was 10 miles into the Baja 500 and in third place when a car driven by an unidentified driver turned onto a paved section of the course.

Hamel’s motorcycle and the car collided head-on, and Hamel slid under the vehicle, Roeseler said.

Hamel was transported a hospital in Ensenada, where he was pronounced dead of chest injuries. The race continued despite the fatal accident.

Boxing

The International Boxing Federation ruled that George Foreman must fight challenger Axel Schulz of Germany within 120 days or lose his heavyweight title. Foreman, 46, won a controversial decision April 12 and has said he will not fight Schulz again.

Foreman has already lost the World Boxing Assn. title for refusing to fight Tony Tucker when he was the No. 1 WBA contender. Foreman won the titles by knocking out Michael Moorer.

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Miguel Angel Gonzalez of Mexico retained his World Boxing Council lightweight championship with a victory by decision over Marty Jakubowski of Whiting, Ind., at Ledyard, Conn. On the same card, WBC featherweight champion Alejandro Gonzalez of Mexico stopped Tony Green of Philadelphia 31 seconds into the ninth round.

Track and Field

The International Amateur Athletic Federation, track and field’s world governing body, is considering changing the times of the Olympic 200-meter semifinals and 400 final in Atlanta to accommodate Michael Johnson’s desire for a double victory in 1996.

No male athlete has won the 200 and the 400 in the same Olympics.

World and Olympic 100-meter champion Linford Christie was beaten for the second time in three days, losing to Salomon Wariso in a 200 meters race at a meet in London. Wariso’s winning time was 20.77 seconds.

Auto Racing

Mike McLaughlin drove a Chevrolet Monte Carlo to victory in the GM Goodwrench-Delco Battery 200, a Busch Grand National race at Dover, Del. McLaughlin averaged 102.887 m.p.h. and won by 23.8 seconds over Mike Wallace, collecting $24,710 for his victory.

Larry Dixon in top fuel, Chuck Etchells in funny car and Warren Johnson in pro stock locked up the No. 1 qualifying positions for the National Hot Rod Assn. Virginia is for Lovers Nationals in Dinwiddie.

Paul Fargher of Isle of Man, a passenger, was killed and his driver, Rob Munro of Scotland, seriously injured in a crash during a sidecar motorcycle race on Isle of Man.

Hockey

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said the New Jersey Devils cannot continue to operate under their arrangements with the state on the Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford, N.J., and questions whether the state has lived up to its part of the lease, which runs through 2002.

The Devils, who have been offered a deal to move to Nashville, Tenn., have alleged 13 violations of the lease--all denied by the state--and demand renegotiation.

The state has proposed a settlement, but New Jersey Gov. Christie Whitman has threatened a lawsuit if the Devils try to move.

Miscellany

Max Brito of Ivory Coast was paralyzed with a neck injury during his team’s 29-11 loss to Tonga at the Rugby World Cup in South Africa.