Marv Albert’s Name Reportedly on Slain Dominatrix’s Client List

The name of sportscaster Marv Albert, awaiting trial in Virginia on forcible assault and sodomy charges, appears on a “client list” recovered by police from the Manhattan apartment of a dominatrix slain Saturday night, law enforcement sources said Wednesday in New York.

There is no indication that Albert is a suspect in the slaying.

The New York Police Department declined to confirm or deny whether Albert’s name appears on the client list.

In the Virginia case, Albert is accused of attacking a Vienna, Va., woman, who the police said he had known for 10 years, after an argument in a room at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Pentagon City, Va.

Auto Racing

The Taurus, the best-selling car in America the past five years, will replace the Thunderbird as Ford Motor Company’s racing entry in the NASCAR Winston Cup series starting next season.

The Taurus will be the first four-door car in NASCAR racing in more than 40 years and the first in the series on a full-time basis.

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Ford Thunderbird drivers did well in the opening practice for Saturday’s Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, turning in four of the top five laps.

Defending champion Dale Jarrett, coming off a victory two weeks ago at Pocono, led with a lap of 178.980 mph, followed by teammate Ernie Irvan at 177.943 mph. Wally Dallenbach Jr. was third in a Chevy Monte Carlo at 177.144, with Thunderbird drivers Ted Musgrave and Lake Speed close behind at 176.908 mph and 176.706 mph.

Qualifying for the 400-mile race begins today.

Pro Basketball

Charles Barkley testified in Cleveland that he pushed the man who is suing him for $500,000 because he was a “drunk redneck” who deserved it.

“I don’t know if I ever got to hit him or not,” Barkley said of Jeb Tyler, 24, of Spencerport, N.Y. “I would hope I did, but I don’t know if I did.”

Jess Kersey, 56, one of four NBA referees indicted on charges of federal income tax evasion, resigned after 24 years with the league. He was regarded as one of the NBA’s top officials.

Kersey pleaded guilty in Norfolk, Va., to filing false federal income tax returns and was sentenced to three years’ probation. He was fined $20,000 after agreeing to cooperate in the investigation of tax fraud by NBA referees.

Shawn Kemp of the Seattle SuperSonics was involved in a one-car accident in Beverly Hills last Saturday at 2 a.m., Sgt. John Edmundson of the Beverly Hills Police Dept. said.

Kemp was driving a rented 1997 Jaguar when he lost control and hit a fire hydrant in a residential area at Hillcrest and Elevado, Edmundson said. “There were no injuries and no alcohol,” he added. Kemp was not cited.

The Detroit Pistons re-signed Joe Dumars, virtually ensuring that the team captain will end his career as a Piston.

New Jersey Net center Jayson Williams says the team fined him $10,000 last week for making disparaging comments about Coach John Calipari in an article he wrote for GQ magazine’s June issue.

Tennis

Top-seeded Michael Chang advanced at the du Maurier Open tennis championships in Montreal when Sandon Stolle of Australia retired trailing, 6-1, 1-0, because of a shoulder injury.

Meanwhile, second-seeded Goran Ivanisevic struggled to a 6-3, 6-7 (8-10), 6-4 victory over New Zealander Brett Steven and third-seeded Thomas Muster looked rusty in a 4-6, 7-6, 6-3 win over American qualifier Jeff Salzenstein.

Track and Field

Banned Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson will appeal a ruling by an Ontario judge last week upholding his lifetime ban from the sport.

Meanwhile, the IAAF, meeting in Athens, Greece, delayed until today a vote to reduce the drug ban from four years to two. The proposal is expected to pass.

Swimming

Kristine Quance of Northridge won the 200 individual medley at the U.S. Swimming National Championships in Nashville as Neil Walker set a meet record in winning the 100-meter butterfly. Walker, of Verona, Wis., won in 53.06 seconds, bettering Matt Biondi’s 53.09 set in 1988. Quance won in 2:13.55, the fastest time in the world this year.

Winter Olympics

Olympic organizers recommended a $2-million compensation package for Tom Welch, who brought the 2002 Winter Games to Salt Lake City but resigned amid charges he abused his wife.

Miscellany

An international multi-sport event, the Women’s Global Challenge, featuring top female athletes from around the world in sports such as figure skating, basketball and gymnastics, will be held in several cities for the first time in the spring of 1999, organizers announced. CBS will televise the event scheduled for April 28-May 2, 1999. . . . Goaltender Jon Casey, 35, who spent the last three seasons with the St. Louis Blues as a backup to Grant Fuhr, signed with the Kansas City Blades of the International Hockey League.