Lively, Tearful Lawyers Closing the King Trial

Don King’s attorney told a jury Wednesday that he was so upset he feared he might cry when a prosecutor charged that King’s testimony during his trial for insurance fraud was “full of lies.”

It was a lively climax to a six-week trial that had produced snores and yawns from spectators who watched prosecutors try to prove King faked a boxing contract to collect $350,000 in insurance money for a 1991 canceled fight.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Stewart launched his closing argument in the New York trial with an attack on King’s credibility and urged jurors to use his own words to find him guilty of nine counts of wire fraud.

College Basketball

In a move coaches have sought since the Big East expanded to 13 teams, the conference has split into divisions, a decision that will only affect seeding for the postseason tournament.

The four-year scheduling concept that gave each school an 18-game schedule and an equal number of games against each opponent in that span will remain intact.

The new system, which will affect both men’s and women’s basketball, will start with this season.

Tennis

Tennis Australia president Geoff Pollard left for the United States to meet with WTA Tour players about a threatened boycott over Australian Open prize money.

The world’s top women’s tennis players sent a letter to Pollard calling for Tennis Australia to increase the women’s prize money to match the rise given to the men.

Pollard said in keeping with the adjustments the WTA made to prize money for its own events, Tennis Australia was prepared to increase its prize money for women finalists by 17% and all other women’s rounds would receive a 3% increase.

Todd Martin was upset and three other seeded players--Thomas Enqvist, Arnaud Boetsch and Stefan Edberg--were extended to three sets before advancing in the Stockholm Open.

Martin, the sixth-seed, fell, 6-3, 7-6 (9-7), to Richey Reneberg. Enqvist struggled to a 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 7-5 win over Hendrik Dreekman in a first-round match. Boetsch defeated Patrick McEnroe, 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (7-3).

Edberg defeated MaliVai Washington, 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 6-0.

Top-seeded Yevgeny Kafelnikov, slowed by a left knee injury that will require surgery, overcame a sluggish start to beat Cedric Pioline in the second round of the Kremlin Cup in Moscow.

Alexander Volkov, the defending champion, beat Sander Groen, 5-7, 6-2, 6-3. Byron Black ousted Jakob Hlasek, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Andrei Chesnokov, lost to Daniel Vacek, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.

Miscellany

One racer was killed and three others seriously injured in two separate offshore powerboat racing accidents in the first of two heats of the Key West World Championship.

Pepe Fereira was pronounced dead at the scene after his 33-foot catamaran race boat tripped on a wave and slammed into a wave at 80 m.p.h.

Carlos Gonzalez was airlifted to a Miami hospital and a third person in the boat, driver Rolando Garcia, was listed in serious condition.

In a separate accident, an unidentified crew member of a pro stock boat was hospitalized in critical condition after his boat was struck by another.

NBA Commissioner David Stern has named Anaheim among 12 cities the league might consider for expansion by the year 2000.

Stern said several cities had contacted the league about expansion, including Anaheim, St. Louis, Memphis, Tenn., Mexico City, Nashville, Pittsburgh and Tampa, Fla.

The Angels signed pitcher Julio Valera and catcher John Orton to minor league contracts.