Concussion

Backup Eagles quarterback Jeff Kemp remained under observation at Graduate Hospital after suffering a concussion in the third quarter of the Eagles' 23-7 loss yesterday to the San Francisco 49ers. Kemp was wheeled off the field at Veterans Stadium after being sacked by the 49ers' Larry Roberts while attempting to pass. Eagles spokesman Ron Howard said that Kemp was given a cervical X-ray and that the preliminary diagnosis was a concussion. Kemp underwent further tests, including a CAT scan, which showed nothing more serious, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

ALLENTOWN - Tommy Joseph's difficult start at triple-A Lehigh Valley now includes a concussion. The Phillies' top catching prospect suffered the injury May 4 against Indianapolis and he has not played since. Joseph, 21, is hitting .209 with one double, three home runs, and 14 RBIs. He also has been charged with nine passed balls. "He was probably the one guy who had more on his plate than anyone," director of player development Joe Jordan said. "That's just because of the position.

Charlotte Bobcats rookie Michael Kidd-Gilchrist suffered a concussion in Saturday's fourth-quarter collision with teammate Jeff Taylor in Houston. The Camden native, the second overall pick in last year's draft, went up to defend Toney Douglas' layup attempt early in the fourth quarter on Saturday night. Taylor swooped in and his right hip connected with the back of Kidd-Gilchrist's head. Kidd-Gilchrist lay motionless for several minutes. The athletic training staffs from both teams came out to check on him, and the entire Charlotte bench eventually surrounded him. Medical personnel fit Kidd-Gilchrist with a neck brace.

THE ORDINARILY energetic boy in the back seat of the car had gone strangely quiet. It seemed odd to Team Comcast "AAA" Youth Hockey Club coach Keith Primeau, who was driving some players back from a game one Sunday a few years ago. The boy - Nicholas Bohatiuk - was then 11 years old, on the opposing team and in his initial year of contact hockey. Play had stopped when suddenly a rival player came up from behind and plowed into him as he stood at the blue line. Bohatiuk never saw it coming.

WASHINGTON - Not wanting to succumb to the dreaded "C" word, Claude Giroux decided to lace his skates up for a quick spin around the ice by himself yesterday morning. His skate lasted only 15 minutes, telling Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren all he needed to know. "He didn't feel that good," Holmgren said. "He didn't feel like himself. " For the first time since Giroux was rocked by an accidental knee to the head by teammate Wayne Simmonds on Saturday night, the Flyers officially labeled the NHL's leading scorer as concussed.

Not that it will come as a shock to anyone, but Peter Forsberg won't be in the lineup today when the Flyers host the Ottawa Senators. Although Forsberg said he "did pretty well" on his neuropsychological exam yesterday, he still has headaches and sluggishness, classic post-concussion symptoms. "I'm not cleared for contact drills yet," Forsberg said. "No game [today]. " Asked when he thought he might be able to return, Forsberg added, "It's hard to say. I still have the symptoms.

New York Rangers defenseman Jeff Beukeboom, sidelined since early February with a concussion, said yesterday he will sit out the remainder of the season. But he said at a news conference he hoped to return for the 1999-2000 season. "It's serious enough to realize that I might never play this game again," Buekeboom said at Madison Square Garden before the Rangers' game against Buffalo, "but I feel in my heart that I probably will play again. " Beukeboom, 33, hasn't played since suffering his second concussion of the season during a Feb. 12 game against the Carolina Hurricanes.

NFL teams now have new, stricter instructions for when players should be allowed to return to games or practices after head injuries, guidelines that go into effect this week. In the latest step by the league to address a hot-button issue, commissioner Roger Goodell sent a memo to the 32 clubs yesterday saying a player who gets a concussion should not return to action on the same day if he shows certain signs or symptoms. Those include an inability to remember assignments or plays, a gap in memory, persistent dizziness, and persistent headaches.

Tennessee Titans tight end Frank Wycheck will not play against the New England Patriots tomorrow, but he can expect to play again this season, according to an independent examination. Wycheck, who has missed the last three games because of continuing problems with a concussion suffered in the preseason, rejoined the team yesterday after spending Thursday in Pittsburgh to undergo tests. "We got some mixed results, some good and some that would suggest there's a concern," coach Jeff Fisher said.

The debate and discussion over concussions and their consequences have moved beyond the spotlight of professional sports. According to neurologists, that's a good thing. In college, high school, and youth leagues, awareness is growing. "This is one of those slow awakenings of, 'There's a real problem, there's a real danger,' " said Doug Smith, director of the Center for Brain Injury and Repair at the University of Pennsylvania. Awareness of concussions and their lasting impact has grown among the general public in the last five years, he said.