Group Sues NCAA Over Use of SAT Scores

A Washington organization called Trial Lawyers for Public Justice, representing two former Philadelphia high school track and field athletes, has sued the NCAA over its use of SAT scores to determine athletic eligibility.

Tai Kwan Cureton, a freshman at Wheaton College, a Division III school, and Leatrice Shaw, who is sitting out her freshman year at the University of Miami, claim overtures from Division I schools stopped after they received low SAT scores. Cureton graduated 27th in his class of 305 at Philadelphia’s Simon Gratz High, and Shaw was fifth in the same class.

The suit, filed in a U.S. District Court in Philadelphia, seeks an injunction against the NCAA to stop it from using SAT scores as a standard.

NCAA chief operating officer Dan Boggan said the lawsuit “is advocating a return to the bad old days when student-athletes could spend four years . . . in athletics and [leave] not only with no diploma but without any real education at all.�

Black coaches and educators, along with many whites, say that standardized test scores are racially and culturally discriminatory.

Baseball

The Minnesota Twins, in an effort to get a new stadium, have proposed giving the state 49% ownership of the team.

Under the proposal, the Twins would spend $82.5 million toward building the stadium and also guarantee at least another $25 million from licensing fees. The state would have to come up with about $200 million to build the stadium.

“It’s a fair plan,� Twin owner Carl Pohlad said.

Jose Mesa, relief pitcher for the Cleveland Indians, and a friend, David F. Blanco, pleaded innocent in Lakewood, Ohio, to fondling two women in a motel room after meeting them in a nightclub.

Major league baseball’s umpire union is upset that a summit meeting originally scheduled for November has not been rescheduled. The meeting, which was an outcome of the uproar surrounding the Roberto Alomar spitting incident, was called off so baseball could address its more pressing labor problem. At the time, acting Commissioner Bud Selig said the meeting would be rescheduled.

Right-hander Dan Miceli, acquired by Detroit from the Pittsburgh Pirates in November, agreed to a $425,000, one-year contract with the Tigers.

Tennis

Pete Sampras returned from a five-week break and defeated Michael Stich, 6-4, 7-5, in the Colonial Classic, an exhibition tournament in Melbourne, Australia.

Boris Becker, who ended 1996 with five titles, a place in the final of the ATP Tour Championship and a victory in the Grand Slam Cup, made a slow start before winning his first-round match, 7-6 (7-3), 6-1, over Andrei Medvedev of Ukraine.

At Sydney, Australia, Jennifer Capriati advanced to the quarterfinals of the Sydney International with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Canadian Rene Simpson, ranked No. 149 in the women’s rankings.

Names in the News

Arizona State’s Bruce Snyder was chosen NCAA Division I-A coach of year by the American Football Coaches Assn.

Former Pittsburgh Steeler quarterback Joe Gilliam has been placed on six months’ probation after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor drug charge in Nashville, Tenn.

Italian skiing star Alberto Tomba discontinued his training at Corno alle Scale, Italy, after feeling pain in his right wrist, which he injured in October.

A boxing show featuring undefeated heavyweights Ahmad Abdin (22-0-3), Hastim Rahman (21-0-0), Ike Ibeabuchi (13-0-0) and Beverly Hills’ Lamon Brewster (4-0-0) will be held tonight at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, beginning at 7:30. Former Raider Willie Gault is the co-promoter with Credric Kushner.