Briefly
Rose owes IRS nearly $1 million in back taxes
Pete Rose owes almost $1 million in back federal taxes, but he is making monthly payments on the debt, his representative said Friday at Plantation, Fla.
The Internal Revenue Service filed a federal tax lien in Broward County (Miami) on Tuesday alleging that baseball’s career hits leader owes $973,693.28 in back taxes from 1997 to 2002.
Ross Tannenbaum, president of Dreams Inc., the marketing firm that handles Rose’s business affairs, said that the lien is against a home Rose owns in California. He said the filing is not an indication that the former Cincinnati Reds star and manager is in danger of returning to prison over his taxes.
Rose, 63, served a five-month sentence in 1990 and 1991 for filing false tax returns by not declaring income he received from signing autographs, memorabilia sales and gambling.
Hockey
Strife-free World Cup promised
Team USA players promise NHL labor problems that could threaten their upcoming season won’t be a distraction at the World Cup of Hockey.
But veteran defenseman Chris Chelios has a contingency plan just in case talk of a possible lockout reaches the locker room after the tournament starts.
He said the topic will be off limits once the Americans begin defense of their 1996 World Cup title on Aug. 31 in Montreal against Canada.
“I guess we’re going to talk about it until we go to Montreal and then that will be it, not allowed to talk about it after that just to keep the focus on the tournament itself,” Chelios said after the Americans’ first practice.
The NHL and the players association will talk next week in Ottawa and then bargain again in Montreal during the World Cup.
Auto racing
Champ Car signs with Portland
The Champ Car World Series and the city of Portland agreed to a three-year contract at Portland International Raceway.
The announcement came from Portland Parks Commissioner Jim Francesconi and Champ Car President Dick Eidswick, who hammered out a deal after the IRL decided against putting the road course at Portland on its schedule.
“Contenders for NASCAR’s new championship showdown will be bunched at the front of the field for the second week in a row to start the Nextel Cup race Sunday at Michigan International Speedway. Rain Friday washed out qualifying for the GFS Marketplace 400 at Brooklyn, Mich., and the field was filled mostly by car-owner points. Series leader Jimmie Johnson and runner-up Jeff Gordon will start side-by-side in the front row of the 43-car field, just as they did a week earlier at Watkins Glen International.
“Race car driver Tommy Baldwin, 57, was killed in a crash at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway during a Featherlite modified race.
Miscellany
Bowe applies for boxing license
Former heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe applied for an Oklahoma boxing license, a state boxing administrator said. Bowe received preliminary approval, but would need to have any proposed fight approved by the commission, said Joe Miller, administrator of the Oklahoma Professional Boxing Commission.
“Conference USA athletic directors have voted unanimously to recommend holding the league’s inaugural football championship game in 2005. The recommendation made Thursday now goes before the league’s Board of Directors.
“The 69th running of the $250,000 Longacres Mile at Auburn, Wash., is set for Sunday with 12 horses. Poker Brad, the winner of the Mt. Rainier Breeders’ Cup on July 25, was installed as the 3-1 morning-line favorite of the Grade 3 race.
“Trevor Talent hit a three-run homer in the second inning to put Morganton, N.C., ahead for good in a 10-4 victory over Davenport, Iowa, in the opening game of the Little League World Series at South Williamsport, Pa. In other games: Panama City, Panama, beat Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 12-2 in five innings; the game between Lincoln, R.I., and Thousand Oaks, Calif., was postponed until Tuesday because of rain.