Baseball Criminals

[E.Banks#14]

It seems to me that there have been many current and former MLB players being charged with crimes recently, although crime has, and always will be involved in sports. So, with this in mind, I thought it would be interesting to share our knowledge of baseball players who have been charged with crimes.

Just name a player, what he was charged with, a brief description of the crime, and if possible - a date.

So I'll start:

Scott Spezio - charged with theft, general damage to property and simple assault. (Early October 2005)

Spezio and his friend, Jennifer Pankratz, got into a dispute with a cab driver over Spezio's payment. The two reached across the taxi's partition and removed the cabbie's glasses, breaking them. Spiezio also tried to punch him and stole his cell phone.

[baseball junkie]

McClain

This isn't very recent but how about the great Denny McClain -- the last pitcher to win 30 games in one season.

In 1985 he was convicted of of racketeering, extortion and drug possession and sentenced to 25 years in prison. In 1988 that conviction was over-turned on a technicality. But McClain couldn't keep his hands clean even after spending almost three years in a federal prison. In 1997 he was convicted of defrauding a meat-packing company's pension fund and sentenced to eight years of federal imprisonment. That means he must either be a free man by now or about to be one.

I'm sure it won't be long till we're hearing about him again.

[Brian McKenna]

Sam Crane was the second baseman for the National League New York Giants in 1890. He was arrested in 1889 for running away with the wife of a Scranton fruit dealer and her husband’s $1,500. The couple were living in hiding in New York under the name Morrison. Crane ultimately became a sportswriter with the New York Evening Journal for over 25 years.

[VTSoxFan]

Julio Lugo was arrested for domestic assault in 2003. He allegedly hit his wife and then pounded her head against their car window in a parking lot. After his arrest he was summarily released by the Astros. His wife later recanted her sworn statement and said he didn't really mean to hurt her, and she had made the bump on her head herself.

Brian Rekar, then pitching for the Devil Rays, was arrested in August of 2000 for domestic violence, after allegly beating up his wife in a hotel room on a road trip. I don't know how that case turned out.

[Gagne#3 8]

Will Cordero tied his wife up with a telephone cord

Vince Coleman threw firecrackers at fans

Tony Phillips was arrested for smoking crack

Darryl Strawberry
Jose Canseco and his brother
Jermey Giambi-Caught with pot at the airport
Karim Garcia and Jeff Nielsen Beating up fans at Fenway Park
Karmin Garcia (Again) and Spane Spencer Beating up a pizza boy at Spring training


NON Baseball related my favorite story of an profesional athlete getting arrested was Ed Belfour when he was a goalie for the Dallas Stars was arrested for public intoxication outside a Dallas Bar and tried to bribe the cops with a million dollars

[Zito75]

Kirby Puckett- Sexual Harrassment
Ugueth Urbina- Murder? Attempted Murder? Who knows.
Eric Davis- Drugs, Assault
Ken Caminiti- Crack
Sidney Ponson- Drunk Driving, Assault, etc.
Milton Bradley- Jailed for not paying speeding tickets; accused of assault
Carl Everett- Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, Assault, etc.
Dave Parker- Cocaine
Steve Howe- Crack
Fergie Jenkins- Cocaine

[hudsonharden]

I just read that Jackie Robinson was charged and subsequently acquitted of Disorderly Conduct. Does anybody know that what, where, and when of this?

[Sean Casey]

Don't forget Rafael Furcal; he spent time last off-season in jail for DUI, and I think it might have been his second offense.

[Zito75]

There's always Pete Rose... Tax evasion, and gambling issues. (is that illegal though?)

[steveox]

Hey Zito75 what about Bert Campaneris who threw that bat at tigers pitcher back in 1972 in american league playoffs? Im suprised detrot police didnt file charges on attempted assult.

[ballparks]

I recall Luis Polonia was caught in bed with a 15 year old girl. I'm not sure if charges were pressed though.

[Mattingly]

Dwight Gooden--Nose candy, assault on his wife, wasting a HoF career, amongst other things

Dave Winfield--arrested in Toronto for killing a seagull

Fred McGriff--"Crime Dog" (slow day, I'll admit)

Hey Zito75 what about Bert Campaneris who threw that bat at tigers pitcher back in 1972 in american league playoffs? Im suprised detrot police didnt file charges on attempted assult.

If they did that, then they'd have to arrest Nolan Ryan for beating the heck out of Robin Ventura when he had Robin in a headlock after Ventura charged the mound.

[Zito75]

[QUOTE=Mattingly]
Dave Winfield--arrested in Toronto for killing a seagull

[/Q]

Good one, Mattingly. I totally forgot about that one. (laughs)


How about Kenny Rogers, the camerman abuser?

[trosmok]

The court martial of Jackie Robinson

I just read that Jackie Robinson was charged and subsequently acquitted of Disorderly Conduct. Does anybody know that what, where, and when of this?

Long before Rosa Parks made her defiant stand, or sit as it were, Jackie Robinson was charged with public drunkeness, conduct unbecoming an officer, and willful disobedience for refusing to take a seat in the rear of a bus. Jackie had succeeded in forcing the U.S. Army to accept officer candidates from the ranks of the black recruits, and had become a Lieutenant in 1943. In early 1944, he boarded an Army bus near Fort Hood, Texas and was heading toward the base in full uniform, when the racially charged incident was initiated by the bus driver who refused to drive on until Jackie moved to the rear of the bus, even though the coach was practically empty. Lt. Robinson with all his pride would not budge, the police were called, the witnesses were interviewed, and the MPs took Jackie to the stockade. He was quickly acquitted, but the incident put a smudge on his otherwise spotless service record, and he was relegated to teaching phys.ed. for the remainder of the war, instead of joining the combat in the European theater of operations as he had planned. I'll try to find the link, but there was a tremendous 1990 made for TV film, starring Andre Braugher, produced by Turner Broadcasting titled the same as my post's.

[Andrea]

Don't forget Rafael Furcal; he spent time last off-season in jail for DUI, and I think it might have been his second offense.

What's DUI???