4B
Thursday, February 20, 1997
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Albert Belle says he never bet on baseball
Security director to provide report
The Associated Press
SARASOTA, Fla. — Albert Belle did not talk much after reporting to the Chicago White Sox yesterday. He did, however, issue a written statement that said he did not gamble on baseball.
"I want to make one thing clear; I have never bet on baseball," Belle's statement said, adding that these would be his last comments about the subject.
"I was never asked during the deposition if I bet on baseball," Belle said. "Each year, major-league officials speak to all of the major-league teams and emphasize that betting on baseball is forbidden by major league baseball's rules. I have always faithfully adhered to those rules."
Belle, baseball's highest-paid player after agreeing to a $55 million, five-year deal, said in a deposition that he had lost as much as $40,000 gambling on
sports other than baseball.
Major league baseball officials are investigating, and acting commissioner Bud Selig is awaiting a report from Kevin Hallinan, the sport's security director.
Gambling on baseball is against major-league rules, punishable by a one-year suspension. A player who bets on games involving his own team is subject to a lifetime ban.
Belle, who hit 98 home runs during the last two years with the Indians, became the only major-league player to have 50 home runs and 50 doubles in a season when he led Cleveland to the World Series in 1995.
But he has been suspended five times in six years for various outbursts, including charging the mound, throwing a ball at a fan and berating a reporter.
"I believe Albert Belle to be a good man," said Terry Bevington, White Sox manager. "I don't listen to what other people say or what they don't say."
Bevington brushed off the gambling.
"I've never known much about it," he said. "I have never had a big concern
"I want to make one thing clear:I have never bet on baseball."
Albert Belle
Chicago White Sox outfielder
about it, and I don't have one now."
Belle's former Indian teammate Tony Pena, who is also in the White Sox camp, said the outfielder was misunderstood.
"He's smart. People think he's stupid, but he's not," Pena said. "I think he's a great human being."
Belle said that he released the statement so that he could ensure a fresh start with the White Sox, clear up what he called inaccurate reports and not be a distraction to his new team.
The full squad is due in camp today
Stadium dedicated to Ashe
Corporate name rejected in favor of late tennis star
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — The United States Tennis Association yesterday named the new stadium at the National Tennis Center for the late Arthur Ashe in what was a departure from the trend of selling naming rights for stadiums to corporations.
The stadium will be called Arthur Ashe Stadium. Marmion said there had been no offers
"As we looked at the decision in more depth, we felt unanimously that this was the right decision," USTA president Harry Marmion said.
from corporate sponsors nor had they looked for any.
He cited the goodness and decency of Arthur Ashe as the reasons for honoring the tennis great who was the first African-American man to win a Grand Slam tournament.
Marmion said that Ashe was the finest human being the sport of tennis had ever known.
"He was a citizen, a humanitarian, an ambassador and a role model for people around the world," he added. "The fact that the tennis court was his stage should make us all proud."
Ashe's widow, Jeanne Moutoussary-Ashe, attended the news conference and noted that today would have been the couple's 20th wedding anniversary.
"This is a wonderful gift for
our family," she said. "We are enormously proud of you , Arthur, and we thank the USTA for making
Arthur Ashe
his courageous event happen. As he, who died in 1993 after contracting AIDS through a blood transfusion, captured the 1968 U.S. Open, the 1970 Australian Open and Wimbledon in 1975.
this courageous event happen."
In all, he won 51 singles and doubles titles during his 12-year professional career. He also was the captain of the U.S. Davis Cup team from 1981 to 1985 and played in the Davis
Cup from 1963 to 1970 and 1975, 1976 and 1978.
Mayor Rudolph Giuliani compared Ashe toJackie Robinson, who is being honored this year on the 50th anniversary of desegregation of baseball.
"Like Jackie, he helped change the world by the thing he did best — the way he played his sport and the way he conducted himself with class, dignity and intelligence." Gulliani said.
"The stadium has been named for a great hero — one of our greatest athletes," he added. "And that was only part of the tremendous contribution he made."
The new stadium, part of the USTA's $234 million expansion project, will be ready for this summer's U.S. Open, which begins Aug. 25.
Former employee at Toronto arena accused of abuse
Sex scandal chills Canadian hockey
The Associated Press
TORONTO — In another sex-abuse scandal involving Canadian hockey, an alleged pedophile ring of Maple Leaf Gardens employees lured dozens of boys into sex with offers of tickets, hockey sticks and autographs.
One alleged victim said he had been abused from 1975 to 1982 in which group sex took place in the back rooms of the building — one of hockey's most renowned arenas — sometimes during Toronto Maple Leafs games.
A former maintenance worker in the building, Gordon Stuckless, 47, appeared in court yesterday on charges of indecent assault and gross indecency. He worked at the arena until the early 1990s as a backstage helper at concerts and hockey games.
At least two other employees at the arena, one of them deceased, allegedly were involved in the sex ring.
"We have reason to believe there are many,
many victims, but only one is capable of going to court at this time," said Toronto police detective Dave Tredrea.
That complainant is Martin Kruze, 34, who said the abuse had started in 1975 when he was 13 and continued until 1982. Kruze said he had attempted suicide several times and had undergone 10 years of counseling.
This is the second major sex-abuse case this year that has tarnished the image of Canada's beloved national sport.
In January, a highly respected junior-league coach, Graham James, was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison for repeated sexual abuse of two of his players during a period of years.
Similar cases involving at least three other minor-league coaches have come under police investigation.
Kruze first made his allegations in 1993 when he sued Maple Leaf Gardens. He settled out of court for about $45,000, with the stipulation he not go public with his allegations, but decided to come forward anyway.
Cliff Fletcher, president of the Gardens management company and general manager of the Maple Leafs, said police had not been notified in 1983 because an investigation by a private detective had been inconclusive.
The allegations could not be substantiated, Fletcher told the Toronto Star.
"We thought at worst it was an isolated incident, if indeed it was a true incident," he said.
Sprain sidelines Alomar
The Associated Press
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Roberto Alomar will miss most of the exhibition schedule because of a sprained left ankle.
A test on Alomar's ankle revealed a moderate to severe strain, and team officials said yesterday that the seven-time All-Star could be sidelined up to four weeks twice as long as the original prognosis.
"I can't be disappointed," Alomar said. "There are worse things that happen in life. I'm in good shape, so all I need is a week or a week-and-a-half to get ready to play."
Alomar, who is on crutches, twisted his ankle on a wet floor at his home in Puerto Rico, then aggravated it while playing in a charity basketball game a week ago.
said Pat Gillick, Orioles general manager. "He'll get therapy every day and aggressive treatment."
Despite the discouraging news, there's a good chance Alomar will be ready to play before the middle of next month.
Alomar certainly won't be in uniform on March 17, when the Orioles play the Boston Red Sox at Fort Meyers. The exhibition game will be officiated by umpire John Hirschbeck, whom Alomar spit on last September after being ejected from a game in Toronto.
"It'll probably be more like three weeks."
Alomar was given a five-day suspension for the spitting incident and will sit out the first five games of the 1997 season. Gillick said he expected the second baseman to be ready to play by then.
"He was playing all winter in Puerto Rico, so you know he's in good shape," Gillick said. "It's certainly not the best thing to have a sprain like this, but if anybody could use some rest for the rest of his body, it's Robbie."
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