KARL MALONE will start acting classes at the Strasberg
Institute in New York after the season (N.Y. POST, 4/14).
...In Tampa, H.A. Branham reports that a "friend" of MARY
PIERCE's family said that she and ROBERTO ALOMAR are engaged
(TAMPA TRIBUNE, 4/14)....The Bucks have invited full season-
ticket holders to a Milwaukee premiere of SPIKE LEE's "He
Got Game," starring Bucks G RAY ALLEN. A charitable
donation of $75 is requested for each ticket (MILWAUKEE
JOURNAL SENTINEL, 4/14)....DEION SANDERS donated $1M for a
youth center, Project 2000, to be built by his Dallas-based
church, The Potter's House. Sanders said the church pulled
him from the "brink of suicide last year," which will be the
subject of his autobiography to be released in October
(DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 4/11)....Skater SCOTT HAMILTON wrote a
Letter to the Editor of USA TODAY criticizing CHRISTINE
BRENNAN's column last week on TARA LIPINSKI going pro.
Hamilton wrote Brennan "has stepped over the line" and said
she was "very biased in her coverage of the Nagano Games.
Clearly, she was promoting MICHELLE KWAN at Tara Lipinski's
expense" (USA TODAY, 4/13)....The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
SPORTS COMMISSIONS (NASC) annual meeting takes place
tomorrow through Saturday at the Huntington Hilton on Long
Island. The meeting will be the NASC's largest (NASC).
...Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst Chair TOM HICKS and his
holdings (including the MLB Rangers and Stars) were examined
by CNBC's Renay San Miguel on "Business Center." San
Miguel: "For the last two years or so, Tom Hicks has been on
a shopping spree. ... His strategy: unlike the '80s, instead
of tearing down he's building up, and the foundation is in
media and sports" ("Business Center," CNBC, 4/13).
