European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 12, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Nelson fined new York a Golden slate warriors coach Don Nelson was fined $3,000 today for making Public comments that some referees discriminated against guard Sarunas Marciulionis because he is lithuanian. Rod Thorn Aba vice president for operations said the Fine was levied for comments detrimental to the Best interest of the league. Thorn said Nelsons allegations were investigated and could not be substantiated. A the allegations made by coach Nelson were serious because the Aba Wilt not tolerate any discrimination by any Aba referee or other league personnel Thorn said. Quot however we also cannot allow individuals to level such charges against referees or others without  Nelson never named the referee. The stars and stripes March 12,1992 c Page 24 nil thinking strike Breakers new York a nil owners May be following the Lead of the nil by looking for replacement players in the event of a strike. Curt Leichner a lawyer for the professional hockey players association which represents players in the american hockey league the International hockey league and the East coast hockey league said at least two nil general managers had brought up the subject with at least two minor league teams and threatened to suspend any minor league player who refused to be a replacement. Quot my gut reaction is that smacks of an unfair labor practice and is actionable a Leichner said. He would not identify the teams or the general managers except to say one team is in the Ahl and the other in the Ihl. However Wayne Gretzky of the los Angeles Kings said he heard that representatives of the Kings had talked to players on the Ihl team in Phoenix Quot to Check out whether those Guys would play if we went on  during the 1987 nil strike owners brought in replacement players who played in three games mixed with regulars who crossed the picket line. Attendance and television ratings dwindled during those weeks in All but one or two cities a Dallas replacement players actually outdraw the regulars. Those were regular season games however. If nil players strike it could come during the playoffs the most important time of the year for the league. If the walkout lasted for any length of time a Stanley cup won or influenced by minor leagues clearly would be tarnished. A a in a one of the hockey purists who a hoping there wont be a strike a said Cliff Fletcher general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs who said he was opposed to the use of replacement players. But general manager Glen Sather of the Edmonton oilers has said he would be willing to consider using unknowns for games. The nil s Board of governors was to meet in Chicago thursday to discuss the situation which became More critical monday when talks broke off after nine hours of negotiations. Bob Goodenow executive director of the nil players association conceded after the breakdown that a strike is a possibility. A was things go on its becoming More difficult to reach an agreement a he said. A but As in be said All along i remain optimistic we can do  no strike Date has been set but the Union which has strike authorization is said to be targeting the Start of the Stanley cup playoffs april 8.pitt Cage probe set by Mcaa new York a the Mcaa is investigating Pittsburgh a basketball program for possible violations three years ago during its recruitment of former new York Schoolboy Star Jamal Faulkner according to a published report. The new York daily news citing a source close to the situation reported wednesday that an Mcaa investigator questioned Faulkner now a Sophomore at Arizona state for four hours in a recent interview. Faulkner committed to Pitt after his senior year at Christ the King High school but attended Cheshire Academy in Connecticut after failing to meet proposition 48 standards. Pitt coach Paul Evans denied that Faulkner was improperly recruited. A a we be operated a clean program and recruited cleanly with anybody we be been involved with a Evans told the Pittsburgh press. Arizona state athletic director Charles Harris told the daily news that an Mcaa representative had met with Faulkner. A i can Only confirm one thing a Harris told the newspaper a the Mcaa asked if they could talk with Jamal about an Issue unrelated to Arizona  the newspaper said Mcaa enforcement director Bob Minnix would neither confirm nor deny whether the interview took place or whether the Mcaa is conducting a preliminary inquiry into the matter. To to have surgery for hip replacement Spike Owen of the expos leaps to avoid hard slide of Metsy Macke Sasser tuesday. By the associated press to Jackson finally gave in to the pain tuesday and said he would have hip replacement surgery that May end his athletic career. A realistically yesterday could be been my last at Bat in the major leagues a Jackson said after making his announcement in Sarasota Fla. A i know  Jackson who became a National hero by starring As a running Back and As an outfielder Hurt his left hip playing football for the los Angeles raiders in a playoff game on Jan. 13,1991, after a rehabilitation program he came Back for the final month of the 1991 baseball season and hit .225 with three homers and 14 Bis in 71 at bats. But the injury Only got worse this Spring and he  run during the three exhibition games he played. A my main objective is to get rid of the nagging pain and get rid of the Limp a Jackson said. Quot i feel like myself except for running. And if you can to run you can to play. Although Jackson was 4-for-7 this Spring his Limp was worse than at the end of last year despite an off season re habilitation program. The injury caused Jackson to lose All cartilage Between the hip socket and femur leaving a one Inch Gap. A a it a gone backward a White sox general manager Ron Schueler said. A a what a amazing is he a made so Many adjustments that his swing has gotten better in the past  meanwhile the games went on and 45-year-old Nolan Ryan made his first Start of the season for the Texas rangers. Ryan began his 26th season in the majors Spring training with four innings tuesday at port Charlotte Fla., giving up three runs on three hits against Pitts Margh he struck out two and walked two in Texas 6-5 Victory. In Plant City Fla., Cecil fielder went 3 for 4 and hit a towering Home run that appeared to Clear a 110-foot Light Tower in left Field As Detroit lost to Cincinnati. At Chandler ariz., Jim Abbott allowed one hit in four innings and three pitchers finished a two hitter As California beat Milwaukee 9-0. In other exhibition games tuesday Philadelphia downed Baltimore 8-4, Houston Defeated los Angeles 8-5, St. Louis trimmed Toronto 7-2, Kansas City decked Boston 10-5, Atlanta clubbed the new York Yankees 14-2, the Chicago White sox routed Minnesota 8-2, Montreal beat the new York mets 3-1, the Chicago cubs edged san Diego 4-3, Cleveland tripped Seattle 5-2 a a land slammed san Francisco 6-2. Inside sports Munich High coach ends 20-year tenure a Page 21 Fordham e. Illinois gain Mcaa berths a Page 21 Lebianc wins Slack Hawk debut a Page 22 lakers beat kicks sex coach a Page 22