NBA referee Henry Armstrong pleaded guilty to...

NBA referee Henry Armstrong pleaded guilty to filing false federal income tax returns.

Armstrong, 55, an official for nine years, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Norfolk, Va. Jesse Kersey, an NBA referee for 24 years, and nine-year veteran George Toliver also previously have pleaded guilty. Both have resigned.

The NBA said it did not know about Armstrong’s future, Another referee, Mike Mathis of Cincinnati, also awaits trial on similar charges. He was suspended with pay pending the outcome. All four were accused of exchanging first-class airline tickets supplied by the league for cheaper seats, then keeping the difference without reporting the gain as income.

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A judge rejected Marv Albert’s claim that sex charges against him should be dismissed because a member of the grand jury that indicted him managed the prosecutor’s election campaign.

Arlington (Va.) Circuit Judge Benjamin N.A. Kendrick also rejected a defense motion to throw out the case because prosecutors made public DNA evidence linking Albert to the Feb. 12 hotel room incident.

Pro Basketball

Free-agent guard Hubert Davis joined his third NBA team in as many seasons when he signed a six-year deal with the Mavericks. The Dallas Morning News reported the deal is worth $4.5 million.

The Utah Jazz signed Nate Erdmann, a second-round draft pick from Oklahoma, filling out the team’s 12-man roster. Erdmann signed a make-good contract, meaning to earn the NBA rookie minimum of $240,000, he has to play his way onto the team.

Hockey

The Philadelphia Flyers signed journeyman defenseman Chris Joseph to a one-year contract. Joseph, 28, had three goals and 13 assists last season with the Vancouver Canucks. . . . Defensemen Scott Lachance and Doug Houda agreed to contract terms with the New York Islanders. Lachance, 25, has played all seven of his NHL seasons with the Islanders, and last season had three goals and 11 assists. Houda, 31, had two goals and eight assists in 70 games with the Islanders last season.

Miscellany

The Blades are withdrawing from Roller Hockey International after five seasons in Los Angeles. General Manager Tim Ryan wouldn’t say whether the Blades were losing money, but he indicated that owners Jerry and Jeanie Buss believed the league was poorly managed. The Blades averaged 4,538 a game this season, including a league-high 11,717 July 31 against the Bullfrogs.

Officials agreed to rename the Oakland Coliseum after Umax Data Systems, a Taiwanese-based computer company.

Jackie Joyner-Kersee said she will end her career next year with a farewell tour that will conclude in the United States with the Goodwill Games in July.

The Romanian women and the Chinese men won their third consecutive titles in the World Gymnastics championships at Lausanne, Switzerland. China’s routines were unrivaled in difficulty and execution nearly across the board, giving the men a 4 1/2-point lead over the closest rival, Belarus.

The top British crew at the World Rowing championships will compete Saturday at Lac d’Aiguebelette, France, at the time of Lady Diana’s funeral. “Yes, it is a very difficult situation,” said Steve Redgrave, a four-time Olympic gold medalist. “Obviously, we will carry on up to our capabilities, but our thoughts and hearts will be what is going on as well.” The United States national team had five boats reach the medal finals during semifinal competition, bringing the total to 15 boats in the championship finals Saturday and Sunday.