In N.Y., Fred Kerber reports "rumors persist that a
Newark-based development group is prepared to make an offer
to purchase a controlling interest" in the Nets. The offer
"could come as soon as today when plans for a new downtown
arena in Newark are expected to be unveiled" (N.Y. POST,
6/12)....In Minneapolis, Sid Hartman writes that "everything
points to the Twins being here in 1999 and 2000, and there
is hope the stadium problem will be solved" (Minneapolis
STAR TRIBUNE, 6/12)....The Padres have sold 60,266 tickets
for today's game against the Giants, "which will be the
largest crowd ever to see a baseball game in San Diego"
(Fort Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 6/12)....MONEY.com has listed
Washington, DC; Norfolk, VA; Seattle and Minneapolis as
among the best places to live in the U.S., according to its
ranking of the nation's 300 largest metro areas. The survey
samples 512 adults nationwide to rate 37 livability factors,
including an area's pro sports environment (Money)....The
Sharks will increase ticket prices by $2 and $1 for the '98-
99 season (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 6/9).
GOOD GUY AWARD: Bucs coach Tony Dungy won the Horrigan
Award, presented by the Pro Football Writers Association to
the coach, player, club official or league official "who has
gone above and beyond" to cooperate with members of the
media. The Bucs' Communications Dept. was awarded the Pete
Rozelle Award presented to the top media relations staff in
the NFL (Bucs)....In San Diego, the Padres have introduced
their fourth group of middle schoolers selected for $5,000
grants as part of their Scholars Program. That brings the
total to 105 since the college scholarship program was
announced in '95. Padres Senior VP/Public Affairs Dr.
Charles Steinberg, who designed the fund: "From talking with
educators, I knew there were youngsters who were college-
capable but saw it as a dream they couldn't realize. The
idea was to identify them before they became discouraged"
(UNION-TRIBUNE, 6/10)....Tigers Care, the community
relations arm of the Tigers, was named by the World Sports
Humanitarian Hall of Fame as one of six finalists for the
'98 Pro Team Community Award. Other finalists include the
Saints, Falcons, Blues, Spurs and Suns (Tigers).
