FIRED: As football coach at San Diego State, DENNY STOLZ, 54, who had a 3-8 record this year, his third with the Aztecs.
NAMED: As the National League's Most Valuable Player, Los Angeles Dodger outfielder KIRK GIBSON; and as American League MVP, Oakland A's outfielder JOSE CANSECO.
As manager of the California Angels, DOUG RADER, 44, who was skipper of the Texas Rangers from 1983 to '85.
RESIGNED: As coach of the Indiana Pacers, JACK RAMSAY, 63, after the Pacers lost their first seven games of the season.
SUSPENDED: By the NHL, for five and 10 games, respectively, Penguin coach GENE UBRIACO and left wing TROY LONEY as a result of Loney's coming off the bench during an altercation in the Penguins' game against the Vancouver Canucks on Nov. 13. Pittsburgh was also fined $10,000. For 10 games Canadiens right wing STEPHANE RICHER, for swinging his stick and injuring New York Islander defenseman Jeff Norton in a Nov. 16 game.
Indefinitely by The Athletics Congress, for competing in a series of track and field meets in South Africa in October, long jumper TYRUS JEFFERSON, distance runner RAY WICKSELL, pole-vaulter TOM HINTNAUS, and tour organizer DICK TOMLINSON. Their participation was a breach of the International Amateur Athletic Federation's policy that bars athletes from competing in South Africa because of that country's apartheid policy.
DIED: Former lacrosse coach HENRY CICCARONE, 50, who guided Johns Hopkins to three national titles while coaching the Blue Jays from 1975 to '83; of a heart attack; in Cockeysville, Md.