
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, April 26, 1990                   TAG: 9004260228
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

UMPIRE OUT PENDING THEFT CASE

Umpire Bob Engel, accused of stealing 4,180 baseball cards Saturday, has been placed on a leave of absence, the National League announced.

Bill White, the league's president, said Engel was given the leave "so that he can direct his energy toward the charges that have been leveled against him."

Engel, who will be arraigned in Bakersfield (Calif.) Municipal Court on May 2, has not commented on the charges but agreed to the leave, according to a brief statement the league issued.

Engel is accused of taking seven boxes of SCORE baseball cards, valued at $143.98, from a retail store display, police said. Engel allegedly took the cards to a corner of the store and put them in a brown paper bag he pulled from the waistband of his pants.

Engel will be represented at his arraignment by the Major League Umpires Association.

by CNB