SMI CEO MARCUS SMITH said yesterday that the decision to retain New Hampshire Motor Speedway Exec VP & GM JERRY GAPPENS "following a guilty plea for lewdness was driven by a corporate philosophy." Gappens, 53, pled guilty Thursday to "lewdness following an arrest Jan. 21 for an act with a 19-year-old New Hampshire woman that occurred in his parked vehicle." Gappens was "ordered to pay $500 as part of the plea," and had been "suspended by SMI following his arrest." The company "placed several requirements on him in order to return, but those specifics were not released." Gappens "fulfilled those requirements, and his suspension was lifted." Smith said, "He's gone through a significant process, not only with the court system but as well as treatment -- therapy and other things. In our business, we consider our co-workers like family. We're extending forgiveness and praying for he and his family, hoping things work out there. And that's what our decision was driven by" (USA TODAY, 4/8).
CAUGHT IN THE ACT: Federal authorities said yesterday that former NFLer WILL ALLEN "has been charged with running a Ponzi scheme that allegedly enticed investors to back loans for professional athletes." The Securities & Exchange Commission in a complaint allege Allen, who retired in '13, along with business partner SUSAN DAUB, "claimed to make loans to professional athletes who needed money" (REUTERS, 4/7).
THE GOOD STUFF: The D-backs' ninth annual "Evening on the Diamond" event last Thursday featured country singer LEE BRICE and raised more than $1.6M. The event has now raised $13M over its nine-year history, with funds going to nonprofits and communities throughout Arizona (D-backs)....The Hawks yesterday signed 8-year-old Georgia resident LAKE BOZMAN, who "suffers from Acute Myeloid Leukemia, to a one-day deal" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 4/7).
NAMES: ZZ TOP "will perform a 45-minute concert" prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 on May 24 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 4/8)....BEN AFFLECK and MATT DAMON's film about the Yankees' wife-swapping incident in '73 "is going forward despite the efforts of one of its subjects to get the film killed." Former MLBers MIKE KEKICH and FRITZ PETERSON "made a bizarre, off-the-field bedroom trade by swapping wives." Kekich has decided "not to cooperate and other former teammates agreed to do the same" (N.Y. POST, 4/8)....The NBA on Monday moved to dismiss former Clippers Owner DONALD STERLING's federal lawsuit against the league, saying that he seeks "to portray himself as a victim of a variety of imagined and meritless legal wrongs” (L.A. TIMES, 4/8)....The Anaheim City Council yesterday hired attorney WYLIE AITKEN to represent the city in “striking up a new stadium lease with the Angels, signaling a potential return to the bargaining table” (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 4/8)....Basketball HOFer ALONZO MOURNING and a team of developers “have secured financing” for a $22.8M affordable housing project in the Miami neighborhood of Overtown. Mourning’s company AM Affordable Housing and his partner Housing Trust Group “plan to build 84 units of affordable housing” called Courtside Family Apartments (MIAMI HERALD, 4/8)....Patriots TE ROB GRONKOWSKI’s autobiography, “IT’S GOOD TO BE THE GRONK,” will be released by former MLBer DEREK JETER’s publishing company. The book “will ship around July 14” (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/8).
