The AP’s Jenna Fryer noted NASCAR driver DANICA PATRICK and husband PAUL HOSPENTHAL “are divorcing after seven years of marriage.” Patrick made the announcement Tuesday on Facebook, writing, “Paul and I have decided amicably [to] end our marriage” (AP, 11/20)….Meanwhile, golfer GRAEME MCDOWELL “confirmed he is engaged” to girlfriend KRISTIN STAPE (AP, 11/21).
ON THE OUTSIDE: U.S. officials in court documents Tuesday “made veiled mentions of” SAC Capital Advisors Founder and Mets investor STEVEN COHEN “in an alleged insider-trading scheme they said was the most lucrative ever to be charged.” Cohen “wasn’t charged or mentioned by name,” though he is referred to as “Portfolio Manager A” in an alleged $276M insider-trading scheme (WSJ.com, 11/20). In L.A., Steve Dilbeck noted some were “disappointed Cohen was swept aside at the last minute by an aggressive ... bid by the Guggenheim Baseball Group” to purchase the Dodgers. SAC Capital was “under investigation for insider trading during the bidding process” (LATIMES.com, 11/20).
CHARITY STRIPE: Ohio State Univ. will use a $10M gift “to build a 4,000-seat arena.” The gift from Covelli Enterprises Owner SAM COVELLI is the “single-largest cash gift to Ohio State’s athletics department.” Covelli Arena will be “home to seven varsity sports, including wrestling, volleyball and gymnastics” (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 11/21)....Members of the Jazz served a Thanksgiving dinner to “3,600 members of Salt Lake City’s homeless community” Tuesday. It was the 14th year the Jazz had worked in “conjunction with the Salt Lake City Mission and Utah Food Services” (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 11/21)….The Bobcats Tuesday hosted their Cats Care initiative, where “more than 1,000 people waited in line outside the arena for Thanksgiving dinner” (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 11/21).
NAMES: Nationals GM MIKE RIZZO was named Exec of the Year by the Boston Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association. He will receive the award at a Jan. 24 ceremony in Boston (Nationals)….Former Gold Medal-winning U.S. hockey player MIKE ERUZIONE will have the Lawrence Larsen Rink in his hometown of Winthrop, Mass., renamed Wednesday in his honor. It will be called the Larsen Rink at the Mike Eruzione Center (BOSTON HERALD, 11/21)….Former Gold Medal-winning Ukrainian figure skater OKSANA BAIUL is suing the William Morris Endeavor agency, claiming she “has been taken advantage of” (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 11/20)….The S.F. hospital that treated MLB Giants fan BRYAN STOW after he was beaten outside Dodger Stadium last year “asked the U.S. Bankruptcy Court Tuesday for permission to pursue $1.2 million in medical reimbursements from the Dodgers’ insurers” (LATIMES.com, 11/20)….An attorney for the Kraft Group argued in court Tuesday that a car crash following a ‘08 concert at Gillette Stadium is “not the company’s fault and that the deceased driver and passenger and another friend who survived had trespassed and illegally brought alcohol to the tailgating festivities.” Norfolk County Superior Court Judge PATRICK BRADY is expected to make a ruling before the end of the year on whether the civil case should proceed (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/21)....The Single-A Midwest League Dayton Dragons were awarded the John H. Johnson President’s Trophy, recognizing MiLB’s “most complete franchise” (DAYTON DAILY NEWS, 11/21).
