COLLEGE FOOTBALL

PATERNO, BOWDEN ELECTED TO COLLEGE HALL OF FAME Since Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden failed to meet the qualifications for induction into the college football Hall of Fame, the folks who run the hall simply changed the rules. Instead of requiring a coach be retired, the National Football Foundation decided to make any active coach over 75 eligible for induction. With the red tape cut, the winningest coaches in Division I-A were elected yesterday.

Paterno, who will turn 80 in December, has won 354 games and two national championships in 40 seasons as Penn State’s head coach. No one has ever coached longer and won more games at one Division I-A school. The 76-year-old Bowden leads major college football with 359 victories, 286 – and two national titles – since taking over at Florida State in 1976.

Joining Paterno and Bowden are 13 players, including Heisman Trophy winners Mike Rozier of Nebraska and Florida State’s Charlie Ward, who helped Bowden win his first national title in 1993. Florida’s Emmitt Smith, who became the NFL’s career rushing leader, and Virginia Tech’s Bruce Smith, the NFL’s all-time sacks leader, are both entering the Hall in their first year of eligibility.The rest of the class is Colorado running back Bobby Anderson, Miami safety Bennie Blades, Minnesota defensive tackle Carl Eller, Washington defensive lineman Steve Emtman, Baylor safety Thomas Everett, Air Force defensive lineman Chad Hennings, Tennessee guard Chip Kell, Purdue quarterback Mike Phipps, and Stanford linebacker Jeff Siemon.

TENNIS

BAD BACK FORCES DAVENPORT OUT OF FRENCH OPEN Lindsay Davenport withdrew from the French Open yesterday because she is still recovering from a back injury. Davenport, who reached the quarterfinals at Roland Garros last year, said in a statement that she has not recovered sufficiently “to allow me to defend my chances normally.” Davenport, ranked no. 7 in the world, has not played since aggravating her back in mid-March at the Pacific Life Open.

SOCCER

GUNMEN DEMAND CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TICKETS Two masked gunmen burst into a suburban city hall in France,demanding tickets for today’s Champions League final and pointing a gun at one man’s head.The men broke into a meeting of elected officials in Saint-Denis on Monday night, officials said yesterday. No one was injured and the pair fled without tickets to the Arsenal-Barcelona game at Stade de France.

Tickets prices are soaring in a black market, and even with a capacity of 80,000, Stade de France can’t meet the demand. Requests have been posted in classified ads in newspapers and handbills in phone booths across Paris. With 20,000 tickets allocated to each club, black market prices have reached $2,580.

Saint-Denis Mayor Didier Paillard usually receives extra guest tickets to events. When told he was not there, the gunmen continued their threats. Vice Mayor Stephane Prive said they mistook a colleague for Paillard and “put a gun to his head.” Prive described how they said “On the count of three, if you don’t answer we’ll shoot you in the leg.” Realizing it was not Paillard, they released him unharmed.

GOLF

WIE WINS LOCAL U.S. OPEN QUALIFIER Michelle Wie moved a step closer in her long-shot bid to become the first female player to qualify for the men’s U.S. Open, shooting an even-par 72 to win a local qualifier in Kahuku, Hawaii.The USGA believes she is the first woman to get through local qualifying for the U.S. Open.Wie and two other players advanced to sectional play next month, with Wie saying she will play in the June 5 36-hole sectional at Canoe Brook in Summit, N.J.

Joe Phengsavath of Honolulu was second with a 1-over 73. Fifteen-year-old Tadd Fujikawa, a high school freshman from Honolulu, holed a 60-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole to earn the third spot.

– Associated Press