ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, March 11, 1997 TAG: 9703110113
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
Former Los Angeles Kings owner McNall enters jail for 6 years
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Former Los Angeles Kings owner Bruce McNall went to prison Monday to begin a nearly six-year term for his role in a scheme to bilk banks, a securities firm and the NHL team of more than $236 million.
McNall went directly to the Federal Prison Camp at Lompoc, said prison officials and McNall's lawyer.
The camp is a low-security satellite facility to the U.S. Penitentiary at Lompoc and houses white-collar and non-violent offenders, said Jack Stone, central inmate monitoring coordinator for the western region.
When McNall, 46, finishes serving his 70-month sentence, he will owe $5 million restitution to his victims, including Bank of America, European American Bank, Union Bank of California and about half a dozen other institutions.
The prison sentence marked the last phase of McNall's dramatic fall from owner of the Stanley Cup finalist Los Angeles Kings to bankruptcy.
McNall pleaded guilty in January 1994 two counts of bank fraud and single counts of conspiracy and wire fraud. He admitted overseeing a decade-long scheme to defraud six lending institutions.
BASEBALL
Jeter signs 1-year deal with Yankees
Shortstop Derek Jeter, the American League rookie of the year in 1996, agreed to a one-year contract with the New York Yankees.
Terms were not disclosed.
Jeter previously had rejected an offer of $450,000, saying he wanted the same $550,000 the Los Angeles Dodgers gave National League Rookie of the Year Todd Hollandsworth. The Yankees then moved to renew Jeter's contract, permitting them to pay him as little as the major league minimum of $150,000.
Jeter batted .314 with 10 home runs and 78 RBI, the most RBI by a Yankees shortstop since Frank Crosetti also drove in 78 runs in 1936.
Reds hire Bench: The Cincinnati Reds named Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench a special consultant to General Manager Jim Bowden.
Bench will assist Bowden in evaluating talent, staff, and free agents. He will also work with Cincinnati's catchers and serve as a roving minor-league instructor.
Bench, 49, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989. He batted .267 with 389 homers and 1,378 runs batted in during his 17-year career.
Schmidt's heart normal: A first round of tests conducted on Pirates right-hander Jason Schmidt in Pittsburgh showed no abnormalities with his heart.
Schmidt, who pitched for the Appalachian League's Pulaski Braves in 1992, left the Pirates' spring-training camp Sunday after a routine examination and heart monitor readings revealed an irregular heartbeat. He will undergo more tests today.
ETC.
Army joins Conference USA
After more than a century as an independent, Army broke with tradition and joined Conference USA.
Army will begin conference play in 1998, giving the league eight teams. Cincinnati, Houston, Louisville, Memphis, Southern Mississippi and Tulane are the current members, with East Carolina to begin play this fall.
``This is an exciting day,'' Army coach Bob Sutton said. ``From a football aspect, we recognize that it will be a great challenge for us.''
Buser leads Iditarod: Two-time winner Martin Buser extended his lead to three hours and headed toward the finish line in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
Buser crossed the bumpy Bering Sea ice and turned toward Nome. He should reach the finish line sometime this afternoon.
Doug Swingley, the 1995 winner, was running second. Defending champion Jeff King was a distant third.
Spellman arrested: Chicago Bears' defensive end Alonzo Spellman was released on $5,000 bond Monday after being arrested on charges of transporting a loaded gun in his auto and speeding.
Spellman, who founded a charitable foundation that seeks to end street violence, was arrested after Illinois State Police stopped him on a Chicago-area tollway.
He was driving 88 miles an hour in a 55-mph zone on the Tri-State Tollway near suburban Des Plaines around 11:30 p.m. Sunday night, said Master Sgt. Ray Colclasure. Spellman had a loaded .380 semiautomatic handgun in a compartment between the front seats.
Tanner surrenders: Tennis player Roscoe Tanner surrendered to New Jersey authorities to face prosecution for failing to pay child support.
Tanner, 45, was photographed, fingerprinted and released after posting $10,000 bail for willful non-support of a child he fathered with Connie Romano.
LENGTH: Medium: 92 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ASSOCIATED PRESS. Former Los Angeles Kings owner Bruceby CNBMcNall, shown here in 1992, begins a six-year prison term for his
role in a financial scheme.