Major Soccer

The Spirit will honor former Blast goalie Scott Manning before Sunday's game against the Buffalo Blizzard by retiring his No. 31 jersey.Manning played 13 years in the Major Soccer League, including nine for the Blast, Baltimore's indoor soccer predecessor to the Spirit. He had a career record of 207-168, registered five shutouts, made first-team All-MSL twice and was the MVP in the 1984 MSL championship series won by the Blast.Manning will receive a replica of his game jersey in a glass case.

The Blast won't be blue anymore.Owner Ed Hale told the 256 fans gathered for the Baltimore Blast Fan Club Appreciation Dinner last night that the team would return to its winning colors."

Blast owner Ed Hale has been named the Advertising and Professional Club of Baltimore's Civic Citizen of 1991. He received the award during a luncheon at the Hyatt Regency yesterday.Gov. William Donald Schaefer said that in purchasing the Blast two years ago, Hale helped "save downtown Baltimore," because the Blast brings people downtown.Mayor Kurt Schmoke sent a proclamation declaring May 1 as "Edwin F. Hale Day" in the city, but Major Soccer League commissioner Earl Foreman upstaged that when he said:"Over the last two years, Ed Hale has made the single biggest contribution to the sport of soccer in this country, bar no one."

Stan Stamenkovic, a Blast hero of the 1980s, is back in the United States and will be with the San Jose Grizzlies when they play the Washington Warthogs in a Continental Indoor Soccer League game at 7 o'clock tonight at USAir Arena.Stamenkovic, 38, accompanied two young players from the former Yugoslavia who also are joining the Grizzlies.San Jose coach Bob McNab said Stamenkovic has a muscle strain, but may "help on power plays" during what is expected to be a brief stay with the club.Known as "The Magician" for his deft footwork, Stamenkovic was the Blast's MVP several times and the Major Soccer League MVP in 1983-84.

Baltimore Blast owner Ed Hale said yesterday that the team is "getting close" to signing a contract with Channel 45 to televise eight games during the 1990-91 Major Soccer League season.Hale said he hoped to have "done any day now" a deal that would put the Blast on Channel 45 live for a second straight season. WBFF aired 13 Blast contests last season.According to Hale, the Blast also has been talking to representatives from channels 2 and 54 and will continue to do so until a television contract is reached.

Columbia native Desmond Armstrong and UMBC soccer coach John Ellinger have been chosen by the Soccer Association of Columbia as its first full-time directors of coaching.Armstrong, a former defender for the Baltimore Blast of the Major Soccer League, is a current member of the United States National team and competed in the 1990 World Cup in Italy. He is a former SAC player, and a graduate of Howard High and the University of Maryland.Ellinger is a United States Soccer Federation "A" licensed coach.

Guard Shaun Livingston signed with the Washington Wizards for the rest of the season after playing through a pair of 10-day contracts. Major League Lacrosse: The Chesapeake Bayhawks announced selected attackman Josh Coveleski from the MLL player pool at the open tryout on March 13. Major League Soccer: D.C. United waived midfielder Danny Szetela . •From Sun staff and news services

Blast owner Ed Hale's team is exactly where he wants it to be - in the Major Indoor Soccer League championship game. It's the location of the final hurdle that has him aggravated. MISL championship Blast vs. La Raza, Saturday, 7 p.m., U.S. Cellular Arena, Milwaukee, Fox Soccer Channel, 680 AM

The Blast has lost four players to St. Louis in the Major Indoor Soccer League expansion draft to fill rosters for the expansion Steamers and the yet-to-be-named Monterrey, Mexico, franchise. The Steamers selected midfielder Craig Scheer in the second round of Monday's draft, and defender Dewan Bader and midfielders Danny Santoro and Daniel Barber in the third, eighth and 11th rounds, respectively.

The National Labor Relations Board has thrown out complaints by the players' union of unfair labor practices against the Major Soccer League and charges of blackballing against Blast coach Kenny Cooper.In Washington, Major Indoor Soccer League Players Association director John Kerr said he would meet with his attorneys this week to decide whether to appeal.In Baltimore, Blast owner Ed Hale also was planning to meet with attorneys this week."I don't take personal attacks lightly and I'm bristling," Hale said last night.