Stringer Family’s Claims Upheld by District Judge

A district judge Wednesday upheld the claims brought against the Minnesota Vikings by the family of Korey Stringer, who died of heatstroke complications last summer after the second day of training camp.

The Vikings in February asked Hennepin County District Judge Gary Larson to dismiss the 10-count lawsuit, which accuses team officials and doctors of negligence, malpractice, intentional injury and infliction of emotional distress. Although Larson dismissed three of the counts--including the accusation the Vikings intended to cause Stringer’s injury--he ruled the family’s allegations, if proved true, would be enough to hold the Vikings liable for gross negligence.

“The Vikings claimed that they gave Korey ‘exemplary treatment,’ ” Stanley Chesley, lead attorney for the Stringer family, said in a written statement. “Now, the judge has said that if the complaint proves out, the Vikings were guilty of gross negligence. That’s not exemplary treatment.

“For the first time, a court has ruled that a National Football League team and its employees can be held liable for gross negligence in its treatment of a player. That’s a landmark ruling that should be a sign to the NFL and every team that the old ways of dealing with the heat is not enough and changes must be made before another training camp begins.”

Stringer, 27, a Pro Bowl tackle, died in the early hours of Aug. 1 after collapsing after the morning practice session the day before. His wife, Kelci, filed the $100-million lawsuit that is scheduled to begin in June 2003.

Sam Farmer

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The Miami Dolphins will retire the uniform No. 39 of Hall of Fame fullback Larry Csonka next season, the team said.

Csonka set team records by rushing for 6,737 yards and 53 touchdowns from 1968-74 and in 1979.

College Sports

James Jenkins, a former Crescenta Valley High basketball and swimming standout, died from head and upper-body injuries suffered when he fell from the top of a waterfall in the June Lake area, the Mono County coroner’s office said.

An investigation concluded that Jenkins, a freshman basketball player at San Jose State, lost his footing at or near the top of Rush Creek Falls, about 180 feet high. His body was recovered May 30.

Jenkins, 19, was on a family vacation and had hiked alone into the area May 29 to fish.

Ryan Hollins, a 6-foot-11 center from Pasadena Muir High, will visit UCLA today. He was released from a letter of intent to Saint Louis when Coach Lorenzo Romar left to coach at Washington. Hollins plans to transfer to UCLA or Washington and will be eligible for the 2003-04 season.

Miami football recruit Nate Harris, projected as one of the team’s top freshmen next season, has been arrested and charged with armed robbery and could lose his scholarship.

Harris, a linebacker, has been jailed since May 30. Miami-Dade police said Harris and Antwan Evans, both 19, robbed a victim at gunpoint at Liberty City, Fla.

Jurisprudence

Former boxing world champion Pernell Whitaker was convicted of felony cocaine possession at Virginia Beach, Fla., after a judge found he violated the terms of a previous sentence by overdosing on cocaine in March. He faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced Aug. 5.

Miscellany

Vickie Johnson made two free throws with 14.9 seconds left, and Teresa Weatherspoon became the first WNBA player to reach 1,000 career assists in the New York Liberty’s 60-59 victory over the Detroit Shock at New York. Johnson finished with 21 points.

Tina Thompson had 20 points and eight rebounds to lead the Houston Comets over the Indiana Fever, 56-45, in a WNBA game at Indianapolis.

The San Diego Spirit fired Carlos Juarez, making him the first coach to lose his job in the short history of the Women’s United Soccer Assn. Juarez was 9-11-9 with the Spirit.

Justine Bak of Poland was timed in 9 minutes 22.29 seconds at the IAAF Milan meet in Italy, breaking her women’s steeplechase world record by 3.02 seconds.

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T.J. Simers’ column appears on W2.