France has been ordered to complete 100 hours of community service and undergo alcohol counselingGETTY IMAGES
Former NASCAR CEO BRIAN FRANCE on Friday pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for "driving while intoxicated in New York's Hamptons last year." France was "ordered to complete 100 hours of community service and undergo alcohol counseling." If he "meets the requirements, the charge will be reduced to a traffic violation." France said, "I have learned valuable lessons and will be a better person because of this process" (AP, 6/7).
IN MEMORY: NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL spoke at a public memorial service for Pro Football HOFer BART STARR yesterday afternoon at Samford Univ. Goodell was "among seven guest speakers on hand to eulogize the life of Starr," including former Packers teammate and Alabama football coach BILL CURRY, during a "poignant two-hour public service that was capped" by Starr’s widow, CHERRY. Among other "VIPs in attendance" were former Alabama player and AD HOOTIE INGRAM,plus dozens of former teammates with both the Crimson Tide and Packers (MONTGOMERYADVERTISER.com, 6/9)....The Packers announced "several activities designed to celebrate Starr’s life." Players will "wear a No. 15 decal on their helmets throughout the season" (GREENBAYPRESSGAZETTE.com, 6/7)....Meanwhile, late former Dallas Morning News reporter GERRY FRALEY was “honored for his motorsports coverage” at Texas Motor Speedway during a “ceremony in the foyer of the infield media center Saturday afternoon.” TMS President EDDIE GOSSAGE “added a black plaque with Fraley’s name on it to the TMS Wall of Fame.” Fraley died last month after a “two-year battle with cancer” (DALLASNEWS.com, 6/8).
THE WOMEN'S GAME: The Women's Basketball HOF on Saturday inducted former Women's Basketball Coaches Association CEO BETH BASS, former Tennessee and College of Charleston Women's AD JOAN CRONAN, former NCAA D-I Women's Basketball Committee Chair NORA LYNN FINCH and former players CAROLYN BUSH RODDY and VALERIE STILL. The Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW), which "governed women's college athletics before the NCAA took over, also was recognized as a 'trailblazer of the game.'" Several former AIAW-era players, including ANN MEYERS DRYSDALE and NANCY LIEBERMAN, were recognized, and "all the previous inductees in attendance were introduced" (AP, 6/9).
THE GOOD STUFF: Cowboys QB DAK PRESCOTT, RB EZEKIEL ELLIOTT and LB JAYLON SMITH, along with Mavericks Owner MARK CUBAN and a "group of Mavericks players," participated in former NBAer DIRK NOWITZKI's Heroes Celebrity Baseball game. It was the "eighth year Nowitzki has hosted the event, which benefits The Dirk Nowitzki Foundation and the Heroes Foundation" (STAR-TELEGRAM.com, 6/7)....Vikings coach MIKE ZIMMER "hosted the first of two days of youth camps in the team’s field house on Saturday, welcoming 350 kids from first through eighth grade for his foundation’s third annual event." Zimmer had a "different group of 350 kids at the facility" yesterday for "another day of the free camp" (STARTRIBUNE.com, 6/8)....Brewers Owner MARK ATTANASIO, RF CHRISTIAN YELICH and LF RYAN BRAUN surprised fans at the Pick ‘n Save on Miller Park Way by “checking out -- and paying -- for groceries” as part of the team’s annual Kindness in MKE event. The event sees Brewers players and staff "fan out into the city for unannounced donations and related visits." Players “spent a minimum of $500 in gifts and donations at each spot” (JSONLINE.com, 6/7).
NAMES: ESPN's TEDDY ATLAS was inducted into the Int'l Boxing HOF in the "observer category" this past weekend in Canastota, N.Y. The HOF class includes "legendary Top Rank publicist LEE SAMUELS, promoter and matchmaker DON ELBAUM," as well as late Puerto Rican journalist MARIO RIVERA MARTINO (ESPN.com, 6/7)....Former Rangers 3B ADRIAN BELTRE became the fourth player in franchise history to have his jersey number retired (DALLASNEWS.com, 6/9)....Former NFLer ROB GRONKOWSKI led a “football clinic at Woburn Memorial High School,” a two-day camp that was “held in partnership with the Kraft Heinz Company Foundation” (BOSTONHERALD.com, 6/9)....Capitals G BRADEN HOLTBY “marched in the annual Capital Pride Parade” in DC Saturday, riding on Monumental Sports & Entertainment’s float, "tossing beads and T-shirts into the cheering crowd" (NBCSPORTSWASHINGTON.com, 6/8)....LINDSEY VONN was in San Diego on Wednesday, closing out the “three-day convention of Medallia, which gives key executives from around the world pointers on maximizing customer experience” (SANDIEGOUNIONTRIBUNE.com, 6/7).
