Alabama Charges Detailed

An Alabama booster offered a high school player’s coach $115,000, and another recruit got $20,000 from a booster, including $10,000 cash in a plastic bag, according to NCAA charges disclosed Friday.

The NCAA charges of rules violations, released by the university, said the booster who offered $115,000 made at least three cash payments of $10,000 to the high school coach to influence the player’s recruitment.

The university listed what appeared to be 11 major violations of NCAA rules in a letter given to the school by the NCAA. But Alabama was not accused of a lack of institutional control, which can bring the stiffest penalties.

The names of those involved were deleted from the documents the university handed out at a news conference.

Goodwill Games

Michael Johnson’s storied career ended in appropriate fashion--with a victory.

Johnson anchored the United States 1,600-meter relay team to the gold medal at the Goodwill Games before a boisterous crowd in Brisbane, Australia, that came to witness the final championship race of one of track and field’s greatest performers.

“I’m happy,” Johnson said. “My career has been unbelievable.”

Miscellany

Dicky Pride made three consecutive birdies on the back nine and finished with a six-under 64 and a one-stroke lead over Matt Gogel and Canada’s David Morland IV at the Canadian Open in Montreal.

Tiger Woods lost a ball, which was nestled 20 feet high in a pine tree on the second fairway and led to a triple bogey that left him reeling, but not out of contention.

“Anybody under par has a chance to win,” Woods said after a three-over 73 left him seven strokes behind.

Of the top 12 players on the leaderboard, only two have won on the PGA Tour this year.

Former University of Tulsa star Kelly Robbins shot a two-under 68 in windy conditions for a share of the lead with South Korea’s Gloria Park in the LPGA’s Williams Championship at Tulsa, Okla. ... Mike McCullough and Bob Gilder shot a three-under 68s to take the early lead in the Allianz Championship at West Des Moines, Iowa. ...

Detroit Piston guard Mateen Cleaves was traded to the Sacramento Kings. for guard Jon Barry and a future No. 1 draft pick. The Pistons also signed guard Dana Barros to a one-year contract. ... Arvydas Sabonis, longtime center for the Portland Trail Blazers and now a free agent, is recovering from broken toes he suffered while vacationing in Lithuania.

Jeff Gordon’s championship drive rolled on as the Winston Cup points leader posted a fast lap of 124.902 mph to win the pole position for the Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400 tonight in Richmond, Va. ...

Jimmy Spencer pulled away from fellow Winston Cup regular Matt Kenseth on a restart with 35 laps to go and won the Autolite Fram 250 Busch Grand National race. ...

Steve Park, whose brain was bruised in an accident a week ago at Darlington Raceway, plans to wait four to six weeks before racing again.

Kenny Wallace will drive the No. 1 Chevrolet until then.

Passings

Heywood Hale Broun, the sports commentator known for his handlebar mustache and prose as colorful as his sport jackets, died in Kingston, N.Y. He was 83. See story, Page B16.