Houston Brawl Nets Two Mets $200 Fine

New York Met pitcher Ron Darling and second baseman Tim Teufel were fined $200 each and put on probation Monday after charges stemming from a brawl with off-duty police officers last summer were reduced to misdemeanors in Houston.

If the players abide by the terms of their probations and have no additional charges, their records will be cleared after one year. They had been indicted on felony assault charges and were scheduled to be tried Monday. If convicted, they faced up to 10 years in prison and $5,000 in fines.

“I’m not unhappy,” Darling said after his court appearance. “I’m very happy it’s all over with and I don’t have to worry about it again.”

Misdemeanor charges of hindering an arrest pending against two other Met players involved in the July 19 scuffle--pitchers Rick Aguilera and Bob Ojeda--were dismissed.

The four players went to Cooters, a Houston nightclub, July 18 to celebrate the birth of Teufel’s son, Shawn, team officials said. They were arrested early July 19 for fighting with two off-duty police officers working as security guards at the club.