Disgraced former NBA referee Tim Donaghy was a free man Wednesday after serving most of a 15-month sentence in a gambling scandal.
Pat Berdan, a consultant working with Donaghy, said he was released from Hernando County Jail in Florida. Donaghy had been jailed there since August after officials said he violated travel restrictions while living at a halfway house in the Tampa area.
A New York judge sentenced the ex-referee in July 2008 after Donaghy said he took thousands of dollars from a professional gambler in exchange for inside tips on games – including games he worked. Donaghy served 13 months of a sentence that began in a federal prison in Pensacola.
Cubs’ Lilly has shoulder surgery
Chicago Cubs left-hander Ted Lilly has had surgery on his left shoulder. The Cubs said the arthroscopy and debridement procedure performed Tuesday revealed no major damage.
Detroit’s Inge has surgery on knees
Detroit Tigers All-Star third baseman Brandon Inge has undergone surgery on both knees. The team said the procedure at the Detroit Medical Center addressed chronic patellar tendinitis that plagued Inge last season. The procedure Tuesday involved the repair of the patellar tendon in both knees.
Dodgers’ Padilla shot by instructor
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Vicente Padilla is recovering from a bullet wound in his leg after a target-shooting instructor accidentally shot him. Padilla handed a jammed pistol to a shooting instructor, a former police captain, who didn’t realize there was a bullet in the chamber and shot himself in his hand and the bullet grazed Padilla’s leg.
Wheelchair team has doubleheader
The Fort Wayne Bandits, a wheelchair basketball team, will play the RHI Pacers of Indianapolis at 3 p.m. Saturday at Turnstone, 3320 N. Clinton St. There will be back-to-back games. Admission is free.
Lieberman to lead D-League squad
Nancy Lieberman is set to become the first female head coach of an NBA Development League team. A news conference is scheduled today to introduce Lieberman as the first coach of the team that will begin play in the 2010-11 season in Frisco, a suburb north of downtown Dallas.
FIU’s Thomas loses debut in exhibition
Isiah Thomas lost his coaching debut at Florida International when Northwood, an NAIA school coached By Rollie Massimino, beat the Panthers 71-61 in an exhibition game in Miami. Thomas, the Basketball Hall of Famer and most recently coach of the New York Knicks, faced Massimino, who coached Villanova to the 1985 NCAA title and is entering his fourth season at the West Palm Beach, Fla. school. Lester Hunte scored 18 points for Northwood. Marvin Roberts and Phil Gary Jr. scored 15 points for FIU.
Purdue likely on Big Ten Network
The Big Ten Network is televising four games at noon Saturday, but Fort Wayne and most of the state will see Purdue at Michigan. The Indiana-Wisconsin game will be available on an Extra Football Game Channel (in Fort Wayne: Comcast 692, Verizon FiOS 330), according to BTN’s Mike Vest. To check if your affiliate carries the station, go to
http://www.bigtennetwork.com/gamefinder">
www.bigtennetwork.com/gamefinder.
Big Ten to play in Dallas Classic
Dallas city leaders said the Dallas Football Classic is planned for New Year’s Day 2011. The plan calls for using teams from the Big Ten to play teams from Conference USA and the Big 12 on a rotating basis. The first game will pit the seventh-ranked team from the Big 12 against the sixth-ranked team from the Big Ten. The plan needs NCAA approval.
College news
Ohio State plans to reveal a new uniform for the Buckeyes’ annual rivalry game against Michigan on Nov. 21. The uniform is for one game only and will honor the 1954 Ohio State national championship team. … Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes has had his suspension for apparently trying to gouge the eyes of a Georgia running back increased to a full game. … De’Quan Muhammad of Hartford has been charged with lying to police investigating the stabbing death of UConn football player Jasper Howard.
Worker fired over Flames flu shots
A senior staff member for Alberta Health Services has been fired for giving the Calgary Flames swine flu shots while thousands of people waited in line for the vaccine last week.
