Sources said that MLB is investigating whether the Dodgers "discriminated against" NICK FRANCONA, an Afghanistan war veteran and son of Indians manager TERRY FRANCONA, when his contract was "terminated last year." Francona, 31, told MLB in a letter he believed the Dodgers "gradually pushed him out of his job" as Assistant Dir of Player Development following his decision to "seek an assessment at Home Base, a Boston-area organization dedicated to helping veterans treat so-called invisible wounds of war." Sources said that the league investigation is looking into whether Dodgers Dir of Player Development GABE KAPLER, Dodgers President of Baseball Operations ANDREW FRIEDMAN and others in the organization "engaged in discriminatory practices" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 5/10).
CHICAGO JUSTICE: Former United Center employee ROSA GARCIA is suing Bulls mascot Benny the Bull over an injury "suffered while working" at the arena during a '15 game. Garcia was "working as a courtside order taker" when the mascot was "running out of control on the court" and injured his ankle. Benny "started limping off the court with the help of another person." The suit alleges when Benny "walked past Garcia, he pushed his left hand on Garcia's left shoulder with 'all his body weight' to help lift himself up and balance himself." According to the suit Garcia then "felt a sharp pain in her shoulder and heard a popping sound." She "seeks damages in excess of $50,000" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 5/10).
STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM: Pittsburgh-based sports management startup TopScore CFO
DAVID VATZ said that the company is "engaging in a round of equity crowdfunding through capital fundraising platform SeedInvest." With a minimum goal of $150,000 and a maximum of $500,000, Vatz said that "even the lower end of the fundraising goal could help expand the company's ability to create sports-specific site features as well as hire more full-time salespeople." According to SeedInvest, TopScore "generated $384,000 in total revenue" in '16, up from $211,000 in '15 and $117,000 in '14 (
PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 5/8).
NAMES: 76ers and Devils Managing Owner JOSH HARRIS and his wife MARJORIE were honored yesterday at an event attended by over 1,000 Philadelphia-area and N.J. execs for Harris’ support of Philadelphia’s Police Athletic League (THE DAILY)....Former NBAer MORRIS PETERSON’s “much-anticipated” restaurant Mo Pete’s Sports Retreat is “now set to open in August” in Flint Township, Mich. (MLIVE.com, 5/10)....Univ. of Minnesota basketball coach RICHARD PITINO received a contract extension that is “only for a year, and doesn’t include a salary bump.” But if he fulfills the terms of the deal, he will make $1.7M in bonuses (TWINCITIES.com, 5/10)....Beginning with The Players, golfer PAUL CASEY is partnering with crowdfunding platform Pledge It to raise funds for “Paul Casey’s Pledge for UNICEF” campaign. Casey will donate $100 per birdie this season, through Sept. 17, to combat the ongoing famines in Somalia, South Sudan, Nigeria and Yemen (THE DAILY).
