Tarpley

MEMBERS OF the Chinese Language School of Columbia brought in the Chinese New Year with a bang at the central branch of the Howard County Public Library on Saturday. The celebration began with the sounds of a ceremonial drum and a performance of the traditional Lion Dance. Yesterday marked the year 4699 on the Chinese calendar, the year of the horse. In China, the New Year's celebration is also called the Spring Festival. "A person born in this year will be very outgoing, active, faithful and energetic," said Emily Lee, executive director of extracurricular activities for the Columbia school.

Baseball Detroit Tigers -- Purchased P Rusty Meacham and P Dave Haas from Class AA London, Ontario. Purchased P Eric Stone and P Kevin Ritz from Class AAA Toledo.MA New York Yankees -- Named Tony Bartirome traveling secretary.BasketballDallas Mavericks -- Announced F Roy Tarpley will be lost for four-to-six weeks to recover from knee surgery.Washington Bullets -- Signed G Ledell Eackles to two-year contract and placed him on suspended list.CollegeSouthland Conference -- Ruled Stephen F. Austin will forfeit football victory over Nicholls State Sept.

Baseball Atlanta Braves -- Placed P Marty Clary and P Dwayne Henry on waivers for purpose of giving them their unconditional release.New York Mets -- Added P Anthony Young and P John Johnstone to major league roster.Texas Rangers -- Placed P Jamie Moyer on irrevocable waivers.Toronto Blue Jays -- Added P Denis Boucher, P Mike Timlin and 2B William Suero to major-league roster. Assigned P Jimmy Rogers to Class AAA Syracuse.BasketballNBA -- Suspended Dick Motta, coach of the Sacramento Kings, for one game and fined him $500 for bumping an official during Saturday night's game against the New York Knicks.

In 2007, quarterback Nick Elko rewrote the state record book at Arundel High. On Thursday night, the Delaware State signal caller added another page to his superlatives. Playing before family and friends at Morgan State, Elko, now a redshirt senior, sliced through the Bears' defense with near surgical precision, completing 17 straight passes in the first half to set a school record and leading the Hornets to a 28-23 win in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game. "With the talent that kid has throwing the football, we were pretty sure they were going to try and throw it against us," Morgan coach Donald Hill-Eley said.

Maradona leaves Italy, promises to returnArgentine star Diego Maradona, faced with a possible two-year suspension from Italian soccer for testing positive for cocaine use, left Italy to return to his home country.Before he boarded the flight to Buenos Aires, the 30-year-old forward insisted he had not betrayed his sport and promised to return to be questioned by investigators if needed. The captain of the Argentine national team tested positive for cocaine following an Italian league match last month and could be barred for two years.

The Dallas Mavericks, for all the wrong reasons, are one of the most feared teams in the NBA.No self-respecting team wants to lose to the Mavericks, who bring a 6-59 record to the Capital Centre tonight to play the Washington Bullets.Until their recent signing of recalcitrant first-round draft choice Jim Jackson and consecutive victories last week over Orlando and Philadelphia -- their first road win of the year -- the Mavericks appeared a safe bet to replace the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers (9-73)

Injuries have become the great equalizer in the National Basketball Association this season.The Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks and Philadelphia 76ers -- three teams that had legitimate aspirations of winning division titles -- have lost one or more key players for whom they have not found suitable replacements.Cleveland lost point guard Mark Price (knee surgery) for the season Nov. 30, and has been minus forward John "Hot Rod" Williams since he suffered a foot injury Nov. 16.The Cavaliers have won only two of 11 games since Price went down, slamming his knee against the scoring table while diving for a loose ball.

Moves Baseball METS: Named Al Goldis and Bill Singer special assistants to GM; Goldis is a former Orioles scout. ORIOLES: Single-A Frederick announced that manager Tom Lawless, pitching coach Scott McGregor and field coach Elmore Hill will return next season and that Trek Schuler will be trainer. ROYALS: Invited OF Brandon Berger, OF Shane Costa, IF Brent Abernathy, IF Gookie Dawkins, former Orioles 1B Calvin Pickering, P Zack Greinke, P Mike Venafro, P Dennys Reyes, P Shawn Camp, P Eric Thompson and C Mitch Maier to spring training.

BaseballFree agency: Following players filed: 1B Fred McGriff, DH Harold Baines, DH Eddie Murray, C Mike Macfarlane, P Mike Maddux, OF Dave Gallagher, OF Dave Winfield, OF B. J. Surhoff, P Al Leiter, C Pat Borders, OF Roberto Kelly, 3B Tim Wallach and P Mike Morgan.Orioles: Signed following six-year minor-league free agents: P Don Florence, P Mike Hartley, P Jimmy Myers, OF Jarvis Brown and OF Greg Blosser.Cincinnati Reds: Named Marc Bombard and Jim Lett coaches.Texas Rangers: Gave manager Johnny Oates one-year extension through 1997.

Robert Andrew "Andy" Pickens Sr., an aeronautical engineer who helped develop satellite technology and was a connoisseur of fine wines and art, died of pneumonia Tuesday at Greater Baltimore Medical Center. The Timonium resident was 70. Mr. Pickens was born in High Point, N.C. His mother, an elementary school teacher, introduced him to art museums early in life. As an adult, he would never miss an opportunity to visit the art districts of foreign cities. He graduated from Duke University in 1955 with a bachelor's degree in physics.