Strawberry OKs $260,000, Avoids Trial

One day after signing with the New York Yankees, Darryl Strawberry agreed Friday to hand over his $260,000 signing bonus as partial payment for child support owed his ex-wife.

Strawberry was not in Los Angeles Municipal Court, but his attorney, Milton Grimes, said Strawberry will give the money to a court trustee by Monday.

Grimes said Strawberry’s one-year deal with the Yankees was key to the settlement, which allowed Strawberry to avoid trial.

Grimes confirmed that the $260,000 was Strawberry’s signing bonus.

“Without this type of employment, he was making $2,000 a month with the employment where he was,” Grimes said, referring to Strawberry’s salary in the minor leagues.

Strawberry faced two years in jail and $4,000 in fines for non-payment of child support and contempt of court. He was charged after missing a June 24 deadline to pay $300,000 in child support to his ex-wife, Lisa, and their children, Darryl Jr., 10, and Diamond Nicole, 7.

Deputy District Attorney Mark Goldman said Strawberry will pay the remainder of the child support at the rate of $10,000 a month for 24 months. He also owes an additional $34,000 in court-ordered child and spousal support payments.

Under terms of the settlement Strawberry also agreed to enter a two-year diversion program, perform 100 hours of community service at an orphanage and maintain his current support payments.

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Iowa tight end Zeron Flemister, 19, expected to be a top contender for the starting spot this fall, was charged with drunk driving, eluding police and reckless driving, police in Sioux City said Friday.

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A federal appeals court in Denver stayed an order that all 305 Division I schools submit coaching salary and athletic department financial statements to attorneys for a group of entry level coaches who have challenged the NCAA’s coaching salary limits.

In issuing its temporary stay, the appeals court asked both sides to present briefs within 20 days.

Football

The Indianapolis Colts became the first NFL team to open training camp with 32 rookies reporting.

No other NFL team opens its camp until next week, including the New Orleans Saints, who will meet the Colts in the Hall of Fame game at Canton, Ohio, on July 27.

Auto Racing

Defending champion Jeff Gordon won the pole for today’s NASCAR 400 at Dayton International Speedway with a qualifying speed of 188.869.

Scott Kalitta (top fuel), Tony Pedregon (funny car) and Jim Yates (pro stock) led their categories after the first two rounds of qualifying for the NHRA Western Auto Nationals at Topeka, Kan.

Kalitta covered the quarter-mile in 4.639 seconds at 315.67 mph. His speed was the fastest in NHRA history, and his time was the second-quickest in NHRA history.

Mike Bliss edged Mike Skinner to win the pole for today’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race in West Allis, Wis. Bliss drove his Ford to an average speed of 118.265 mph. His time was less than nine-hundredths of a second quicker than Skinner, who had held the provisional pole at 117.925.

Boxing

Marcelo Dominguez of Argentina retained his World Boxing Council cruiserweight title when Patrice Aouissi of France failed to answer the bell for the 10th round in a fight at Hyeres, France.

Dominguez is 20-1-1, while Aouissi fell to 16-2.

Joe Bugner, 46, scored a fifth-round knockout over New Zealand heavyweight champion Young Haumono in a bout in Gold Coast, Australia.

Soccer

Argentina’s Diego Maradona says he’ll sign with an undisclosed Japanese club if they’ll raise their offer by $5 million and Japanese authorities will issue him a visa. Guillermo Coppola, Maradona’s manager, said the 35-year-old midfielder would sign a $20-million, two-year contract if he was allowed into the country.

Japanese club Tosu Futures, which admitted it was negotiating with Maradona, was skeptical the visa request would be granted.

Japan denied him a visa to play in an exhibition before the 1994 World Cup finals, from which he was expelled after failing a doping test, because he was convicted in drug cases in Italy and Argentina.