Teenage Hockey Player Charged With Battery

Prosecutors in Chicago have taken the extraordinary step of charging a 15-year-old hockey player with aggravated battery for slamming another boy into the boards and leaving him paralyzed.

The boy, whom prosecutors declined to identify because of his age, could be sent to a youth facility for six years if convicted.

Prosecutors said the charges are warranted because the hit came seconds after the final buzzer, indicating intent to harm. But others said the blow came earlier and was part of the give-and-take of the game.

High school sports officials nationally were stunned and said they could think of no similar case involving a youngster. However, minor league hockey players have been hit with criminal charges for on-ice violence.

“It is the kind of precedent that could be the death knell for contact sports--at least youth contact sports,” said a lawyer for the boy charged.

Baseball

Former commissioner Fay Vincent wrote in an article published on the op-ed page of the New York Times that he wants Pete Rose to admit he bet on baseball and says the sport’s rules against gambling will be damaged if the banished career hits leader is reinstated. . . . The Colorado Rockies signed outfielder Tom Goodwin to a three-year, $10.75-million contract. Goodwin batted .259 with 39 stolen bases for the Texas Rangers last season. . . . Pitcher Kenny Rogers cut off negotiations with the New York Mets when his agent told the team it couldn’t offer arbitration because of a complicated provision in his expired contract. . . . The Houston Astros reportedly have reached an agreement with second baseman Craig Biggio on a three-year contract extension. . . . Shortstop Alex Gonzalez of the Florida Marlins is recovering from a hairline fracture to his left forearm, an injury he suffered while playing winter baseball in Venezuela, but he is expected to recover by the time spring training starts in February. . . . Harold Baines and the Baltimore Orioles are close to an agreement that would bring the designated hitter back to the team.

The New York Yankees became the first team to average $3 million last season, four years after they became the first to top $2 million. The Yankees had an average salary of $3,217,914, $400,000 more than any other team.

Boxing

Mike Tyson apparently will fight Julius Francis, the British Commonwealth champion, Jan. 29 at Manchester, England, a boxing source told the Associated Press. . . . Darryl Francis, personal assistant to Tyson, stepped forward to claim ownership of two ferrets that were allegedly neglected at Tyson’s sprawling Las Vegas mansion. He disputed allegations they were neglected. . . . Undefeated World Boxing Council super-bantamweight champion Erik Morales and World Boxing Organization champion Marco Antonio Barrera will meet Feb. 19 at Las Vegas with their titles on the line. . . . South Carolina boxing officials knew Stephan Johnson was on medical suspension in Canada when it licensed him to fight Aug. 7. Johnson, 31, died Sunday after getting knocked unconscious during a Nov. 20 fight in Atlantic City, N.J.

Miscellany

Chris Tormey, 33-23 in five seasons at Idaho, resigned to coach the Nevada football team. . . . Oklahoma offensive coordinator Mike Leach is set to become Texas Tech’s new coach, with an official announcement expected today. . . . Virginia Tech defensive end Corey Moore won the Lombardi Award as the nation’s top collegiate lineman. . . . Southern Methodist fired Steve Milan, an assistant football coach accused of violating NCAA recruiting rules, and also imposed sanctions on the program, cutting eight scholarships for the next two years. Milan, who coached the defensive line, had been suspended with pay in August after SMU said it had discovered possible violations. Malin has denied any wrongdoing, the school said.

Tiger Woods, Juli Inkster and Bruce Fleisher were voted players of the year by the Golf Writers Assn. of America. . . . UCLA’s Sasha Victorine became the first player from the West Coast to win the Missouri Athletic Club men’s soccer player-of-the-year award, edging Duke’s Ali Curtis by one point. . . . World champion Arnaud Tournant of France beat Shane Kelly of Australia in the 1,000-meter time trial during the first session of track cycling at Sydney’s new Olympic venue.

Olympic officials are negotiating with the Justice Department to arrange for International Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio Samaranch to meet with FBI agents investigating the Salt Lake City scandal. . . . The IOC had a setback in its reform efforts when its bid to be covered by an international anti-bribery treaty was turned down. . . . Reebok International dropped a multimillion dollar sponsorship deal with Sydney Olympic organizers and sued over an alleged breach of contract.

Isolde Kostner of Italy won a World Cup super-G at Val D’Isere, France, becoming the first woman with two World Cup victories this season. . . . The San Diego Grand Prix, scheduled to be the American LeMans sports car series season opener Feb. 27, has been canceled.