Miscellany

Chad Carvin, who missed the 1996 Olympics after being diagnosed with a heart condition, returned to major competition by winning two races in the national swimming championships in Buffalo, N.Y. Carvin, from Irvine, Calif., won the 200-meter freestyle in 1 minute, 50.42 seconds and the 400-meter individual medley in 4:21.77. He has won seven national titles.

Chris Thorpe and Gordy Sheer became the first Americans to claim a World Cup luge season championship when they finished third in the season-ending race at the 1998 Olympic site in Nagano, Japan. The twosome, with three golds, one silver and one bronze medal in seven tour events, totaled 223 points in claiming the World Cup crystal.

The United States Olympic Committee will recognize squash as a fully credentialed Olympic and Pan-American sport. That will clear the way for U.S. participation at the highest levels of international competition, and provide about $100,000 per year in USOC funding to the sport.

Pitcher Mike Mussina agreed to a one-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles worth $6,825,000 while continuing to negotiate a multi-year deal.

Also, catcher Javier Lopez signed a one-year deal with Atlanta, left-hander Donovan Osborne a three-year contract with St. Louis and second baseman Bret Boone a four-year deal with Cincinnati.