BRIEFLY : 49ERS GIVE WHITE ONE LAST SHOT.

Russell White is facing his final football challenge. The former Crespi High School and California star, who has flunked trials with the Los Angeles Rams and Green Bay Packers, signed for the NFL minimum of $164,000 Friday with the San Francisco 49ers and admits this is his last shot at professional football.

``If it doesn't work out, I'll go in another direction,'' said White, who last played for the London Monarchs of the World League, rushing 51 times for 221 yards and a touchdown earlier this year. ``Life's too short to go on and keep hoping. You've got to move on in life.''

Former USC wide receiver Larry Wallace signed a free-agent contract with the Denver Broncos. Wallace played for London of the World League this past season.

Richard Dent agreed to a one-year contract with Indianapolis.

The New York Jets, who suddenly find themselves with a rich stock of wide receivers, traded disgruntled Ryan Yarborough to the Green Bay Packers for a conditional undisclosed draft choice in 1997.

Dirk West, who chronicled more than 30 years of Southwest Conference football history with hilarious and sometimes scathing newspaper cartoons, died at his home in Lubbock, Texas, of an apparent attack. The former mayor of Lubbock was 67.

GOLF

In Sutton, Mass., first-day leaders Bruce Fleisher and John Cook turned in 67s for two-day totals of 10-under-par 132 and a share of the lead with Russ Cochran in the CVS Charity Classic. Cochran fired a 64 as he zoomed to the top of a leaderboard dotted with red (sub-par) numbers.

Not that 10 under was a security blanket. Chasing hard was Patrick Burke, who matched Cochran's 64 and came in at 134.

Burke's run was particularly dazzling on the back nine as he knocked in birdies at 14, 15, 17, and 18.

Vicki Fergon, a 20-year LPGA tour veteran who has missed the cut in five of her past 10 starts, shot a tournament-record 9-under-par 63 to take a six-stroke lead in the Heartland Classic in St. Louis.

Walter Morgan, a 20-year U.S. Army veteran who took up golf at age 27, shot a course-record 9-under-par 63 to take a five-stroke lead after the first round of the Ameritech Senior Open in Long Grove, Ill.

BASKETBALL

The arraignment in Oakland of Portland Trail Blazers point guard Isaiah Rider on minor drug and gambling charges was postponed, and his attorney said a plea bargain is under negotiation. Rider, the Minnesota Timberwolves leading scorer until his trade to Portland on Tuesday, was arrested twice in Oakland in recent months.

The New York Knicks' renovation project added another plank with the signing of free-agent forward Buck Williams to a multi-year contract.

Ray Allen, the fifth pick in the 1996 NBA draft, signed a three-year contract with the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks acquired Allen in a draft-day trade with the Timberwolves. Terms of the contract weren't announced.

The Cleveland Cavaliers signed first-round draft pick Vitaly Potapenko, a native of Ukraine selected 12th overall.

TENNIS

Unseeded Emilio Alvarez of Spain upset Thomas Muster 6-1, 7-5 in the quarterfinals of the Generali Open in Kitzbuehel, Austria, sending the world's No. 2 player to only his third loss on clay this year. Alvarez was one of four Spaniards to advance to the semifinals.

MOTOR SPORTS

All the big names took a shot at Jeff Gordon, but it was little known Jeremy Mayfield who was able to push the Winston Cup's top qualifier off the pole for Sunday's DieHard 500 in Talladega, Ala. The 27-year-old Mayfield was the only one of 44 qualifiers to break the 50-second barrier on the 2.66-mile track.

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Photo

Photo: Austria's Thomas Muster registers his disappointment at losing - on clay, in his own land - to unseeded Spaniard Emilio Alvarez.

Associated Press