Phillies fire Francona after finishing last

MIAMI (AP) - Philadelphia Phillies manager Terry Francona was fired yesterday after a season in which his team finished last in its division and with the second-worst record in the National League.

The team scheduled a news conference before its season finale against the Florida Marlins.

General manager Ed Wade informed Francona of the decision yesterday. Francona was to manage the closing game.

"This has been a tremendously difficult time for all of us," Wade said. "Those difficulties are compounded when you have to let good baseball people and good friends go."

Francona managed the team to a losing record in each of his four seasons in Philadelphia. He had a 285-362 record entering yesterday's game.

Also dismissed were four coaches: hitting coach Hal McRae, first base coach Brad Mills, pitching coach Galen Cisco and bench coach Chuck Cottier.

Francona improved the club from 68 to 75 to 77 victories in his first three seasons, but will finish with his worst record this year.

The Phillies entered yesterday's game at 65-96.

Rutgers guard declared ineligible

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) - Rutgers' football team might have to forfeit its two wins this year after an internal review discovered the school misapplied an NCAA rule in determining the eligibility of starting right guard Travis Mills.

Mills was declared ineligible for Saturday night's game against No. 10 Miami just hours before the kickoff at Rutgers Stadium.

A transfer from Garden City Community College in Kansas, Mills had started all four games this season, including wins over Villanova and Buffalo.

Athletic director Robert Mulcahy didn't know whether the mistake would lead to forfeits, but he said it was a possibility.

"It's a long way off," Mulcahy said.

The possibility of forfeits also comes in a year in which coach Terry Shea has been told he has to have a winning season or else he won't have a job here next year.

Joseph Quinlan, a senior associate director of athletics, said the school erred in calculating transfer credits and that put it in conflict with the NCAA rule regarding satisfactory progress toward graduation.

Mulcahy said Mills was not at fault.