COLLEGES Coach Ron Cooper was fired after the worst football season in Louisville's history - 1-10. Cooper had a 13-20 record in three years at Louisville. He had two years left on a five-year contract, estimated at $600,000 to $800,000.
* Representatives of the Independence, Liberty and Motor City bowls plan to travel to South Bend, Ind., to watch Notre Dame in its game Saturday against West Virginia.
Irish coach Bob Davie said the 5-5 team would accept a bowl bid if it won its final two games, against West Virginia and Hawaii. It would be the first time for the Irish to go to a second-tier bowl since 1984.
* Swarthmore College senior forward Danielle Duffy was named to the 1997 Division III all-American field hockey team by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association. Duffy, a graduate of Penncrest High in Media, led the Centennial Conference in scoring with 29 goals and 23 assists for a career-high 81 points. She led Swarthmore to a school-record win total in a 19-2 season that crested with the ECAC Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship.
BASEBALL San Diego and Detroit made a five-player trade, with the Padres getting righthanders Dan Miceli and Donne Wall plus a minor-leaguer for righthander Tim Worrell and outfielder Trey Beamon.
* The Atlanta Braves offered free-agent centerfielder Brady Anderson a four-year contract worth approximately $29 million, the Washington Post reported, citing baseball sources. Anderson has spent the past 9 1/2 seasons with Baltimore.
* Charlotte business and civic leaders have discussed the possibility of a $200 million downtown ballpark. Minnesota Twins owner Carl Pohlad has an agreement with North Carolina businessman Don Beaver to negotiate a sale unless a stadium financing plan with taxpayer support is approved by Nov. 30.
HOCKEY Colorado Avalanche goaltender Patrick Roy suffered a strained left shoulder in Tuesday night's game against Washington and is doubtful for tomorrow's game against Toronto.
Elsewhere: Phoenix Coyotes defenseman Murray Baron underwent surgery to repair a torn triceps muscle and will be out indefinitely, the team said. . . . Florida Panthers center Rob Niedermayer will likely be out three to four weeks after dislocating his right thumb in Tuesday night's 3-1 loss to the New York Rangers. The Panthers also lost newly acquired left wing Viktor Kozlov with a separated right shoulder. He could miss as much as six weeks.. . . Former Penguins great Mario Lemieux was honored in a ceremony retiring his No. 66 in Pittsburgh, just two days after being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
