LEAGUE NOTES

          NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman will "announce soon" that
     the Ducks and Canucks will become the first NHL teams to
     play a regular season game outside North America.  They will
     play two games to start next season at the Yoyogi National
     Gymnasium in Toyko (AP/WASHINGTON POST, 3/16)....In Orlando,
     SENTINEL golf writer Jeff Babineau notes Tiger Woods "has
     increased the intensity of competition" on the PGA Tour and
     "has driven many players to work harder in the offseason. 
     ... The overall level of play seems to have risen on the
     tour, and many players are pointing toward Woods as the main
     reason" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 3/16).....MLB's Security chief
     Kevin Hallinan told White Sox GM Ron Schueler that Albert
     Belle's gambling habits remain the subject of an inquiry. 
     Schueler: "He said it isn't over, but he wasn't sure if they
     were pursuing anything" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 3/18).