Leave Of Absence

Moves Baseball ASTROS: Agreed to one-year, $700,000 contract with free-agent P John Franco, who had been with Mets. YANKEES: Agreed to one-year, $600,000 contract with free-agent IF Rey Sanchez, who had been with Devil Rays. Basketball SPURS: Placed C Rasho Nesterovic on injured list with left ankle sprain. Activated F Sean Marks from injured list. SUNS: Signed F Paul Shirley for rest of season. Colleges BUCKNELL: Announced that men's basketball coach Pat Flannery is taking temporary leave of absence.

Busch Series driver Donnie Neuenberger of Brandywine is taking an indefinite medical leave of absence as the driver of the Moy Racing No. 77 car. Neuenberger has been diagnosed with follicular non-Hodgkins lymphoma. He will begin treatment immediately. Three-time Hagerstown Speedway champion Roy Deese of Jessup leads a tight points race in the late-model division, with Gary Stuhler of Greencastle, Pa., only one point behind going into Saturday's race. Ronnie Dennis, also from Jessup, has a one-point lead in the pure stocks division.

BaseballBraves: Single-A Macon announced that manager Jeff Treadway is taking leave of absence for personal reasons. Named Jim Beauchamp interim manager.Rangers: Recalled OF Ruben Mateo from Triple-A Oklahoma.Red Sox: Recalled P Kirk Bullinger from Triple-A Pawtucket. Voided optional assignment of P Juan Pena to Pawtucket; returned him to 15-day DL, retroactive to June 5, with sore shoulder.Royals: Optioned P Alvin Morman to Triple-A Omaha. Recalled IF Jed Hansen from Omaha.Tigers: Released minor-league P Dave Swartzbaugh.

50 years agoApproximately 200 automobiles were delayed for two hours and the state ferry Harry W. Nice was forced to return to its Sandy Point terminus when a steering cable broke on its sister ferry and prevented docking on the Eastern Shore. -- The Sun, July 6, 1946.A Baltimore team won the ninth annual Carvel Hall-Annapolis contract bridge tournament. Margaret Hamilton, Arthur Schlesinger, Edward Pierson and Clagett Bowie defeated some bTC 600 contestants in the four-day Annapolis tourney.

Chicago St. (0-2) at Maryland (2-0)Site: Cole Field House, College ParkTime: 8 p.m.Radio: WBAL (1090 AM), WTOP (1500 AM)Outlook: This is the first meeting between these schools. Maryland has won its first two games by an average margin of 27 1/2 points. Four Terps are averaging in double figures, led by senior forward Keith Booth (19.5). Chicago State lost to Missouri by 30 points and Bradley by 22. The Cougars, 2-25 last season, are led by 6-foot-7 senior forward Kory Billups, who averaged 16.1 ppg and 9.0 rpg last season.

Charlie Taaffe, Maryland's former offensive coordinator, has been hired as an offensive assistant at the University of Pittsburgh on an interim basis, a school spokesman confirmed today. Taaffe was hired to help the Panthers in the absence of assistant head coach Bob Junko, who had heart surgery in February and has taken a leave of absence from his on-field responsibilities. "We were fortunate to be able to gain the services of a highly knowledgeable coach in Charlie Taaffe," Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt stated in a news release.

A Baltimore Circuit Court judge today delayed the arraignment of Comptroller Jacqueline F. McLean on theft and misconduct charges for six weeks.Judge Joseph P. McCurdy Jr. agreed to reschedule the date Mrs. McLean or her attorneys must enter a plea to May 2. And he arranged for the trial to begin June 8.Both Mrs. McLean's attorney, M. Cristina Gutierrez, and Maryland Special Prosecutor Stephen Montanarelli refused to say why they had agreed to the delay.Mrs....

Loyola guard Mike Powell was named to the all-tournament team for the Otis Spunkmeyer Classic after scoring 44 points in ** two games, including 29 Friday night in the Greyhounds' 73-55 consolation victory over Holy Cross in Oakland, Calif.The Greyhounds (2-7), who were 0-10 in games played in California, broke a seven-game losing streak.Kansas State, which beat Loyola in Thursday's opener, 76-69, took the title with a 65-58 victory over host California.Loyola starting point guard John McDonald did not make the trip after deciding to take a leave of absence from the team.

The oldest retired Annapolis police officer is Robert M. Rank Sr., 74, not, as reported in Monday's Anne Arundel edition of The Sun, his former colleague, Adrian Perry, 72.Although Rank is older, Perry joined the police department first, in August 1948. Rank's career with the department began in 1952.The department celebrated its 130th anniversary this weekend.Rank took a leave of absence from 1959 to 1960 to work as a shoe and gun salesman, according to his wife, Delores. But after a year, he went back to police work.

BaseballReds: Signed P Jeff Tabaka to minor-league contract.Red Sox: Signed P Johnny Ruffin to minor-league contract.BasketballNets: Waived F Adrian Caldwell.CollegeArmy: Announced that women's basketball coach Lynn Chiavaro will take leave of absence for remainder of season.Idaho State: Named Bruce Barnum offensive line coach, Leo Brouhard defensive line coach/recruiting coordinator, John Ely linebackers coach and Tom Porras quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator.HockeyAvalanche: Recalled D Wade Belak, D Eric Messier and RW Christian Matte from AHL Hershey.