Philadelphian to Consolidate Gathers’ Cases

A Philadelphia attorney was appointed today to serve as a temporary administrator in California of the estate of the late college basketball star Hank Gathers.

A legal battle surrounding the death of the Loyola Marymount star erupted earlier this week with attorneys representing Gathers’ son fighting to be appointed to administrate the estate, which at this time has little value.

Gathers, one of the nation’s leading collegiate players and a top professional prospect, collapsed during a game March 4 at Loyola’s Gersten Pavilion and died shortly after.

He had been diagnosed earlier in the season as having heart problems but was given medication and cleared to play.

Terence Nunan, a lawyer representing Gathers’ brother, Derrick, argued that a neutral party should be appointed administrator, contending that the Philadelphia attorney, Martin Krimsky, has ties to Gathers’ son, who is a potential heir, thereby creating a possible conflict of interest.

But Superior Court Commissioner Robert Blaylock said he found Krimsky “to be a man of integrity and good and impartial judgment.”

Blaylock added it would be less confusing to have Krimsky administer the estate temporarily because he already was appointed administrator of Gathers’ estate by a court in Philadelphia, Gathers’ home city.