Ex-Dolphin Smith May Face Life Sentence

Sammie Smith, former Miami Dolphin running back, and five others were indicted by a federal grand jury in Miami on cocaine and conspiracy charges that carry a possible life sentence. Smith, 28, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute crack and powder cocaine, seven counts of distribution of crack cocaine and two counts of distributing powder cocaine.

Each count carries a mandatory minimum 10 years in prison and a maximum life sentence, along with a fine of up to $4 million.

Authorities called Smith a “major player” in the Florida drug trade. He was arrested Sept. 14 in the crime-ridden Orlando suburb of Zellwood.

Golf

Loren Roberts shot an eight-under-par 64 in the first round of the Texas Open at San Antonio, a good opening in his final chance at qualifying for next week’s Tour Championship. Roberts is 31st on the PGA Tour money list with $540,135. The top 30 qualify for the $3-million Tour Championship in Tulsa, Okla. Hal Sutton is 30th on the list, $12,211 ahead of Roberts. Sutton had a 67.

Lee Janzen sliced his tee shot out of bounds on the last hole and Ben Crenshaw watched Ronan Rafferty roll in a 45-foot putt at the 17th hole as the top-seeded United States lost to Ireland, 3-0, in its opening match in the $1.5-million Dunhill Cup at St. Andrews, Scotland.

Philip Walton beat Peter Jacobsen after Darren Clarke took advantage of Janzen’s double bogey six to shoot 71 and win by two. Australia edged Argentina, 2-1, despite Greg Norman’s three-stroke loss to Jose Coceres.

Tennis

Pete Sampras, bidding for a fourth title in the Lyon Open in France, routed Ronald Agenor of Haiti, 6-4, 6-1, and advanced to the quarterfinals. . . . Mark Philippoussis, 18, of Australia, defeated Richey Reneberg, 6-1, 6-4, and advanced to the semifinals of the Marlboro tournament in Hong Kong. Philippoussis was joined by defending champion Stefan Edberg, who defeated Paul Haarhuis of the Netherlands, 6-7 (6-2), 6-3, 6-3. . . . Thomas Muster, playing before his home fans in Vienna, showed little sign of his recent leg pain in defeating Mark Woodforde of Australia, 6-3, 6-4, to gain the quarterfinals of the $500,000 CA Trophy tournament. . . . Helena Sukova reached the quarterfinals of the Brighton International tournament in England with a 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) victory over Clare Wood of Britain.

Tracy Austin, two-time U.S. Open champion, will conduct a charity event Saturday at the West-End Racquet & Health Club in Torrance to benefit the South Bay Children’s Health Center. Professional and pro-am matches will start at 9 a.m., with Austin taking the court in a mixed doubles exhibition at 12:30.

Boxing

A claims adjuster hired by Lloyd’s of London says boxing promoter Don King would not have been reimbursed for money he claimed he lost on a canceled fight in 1991 if the company had known King never actually spent the money.

The testimony of David Matthew Collett, videotaped in London in August, was played for a federal court jury in New York as prosecutors continued to build their insurance-fraud case against the promoter.

King is accused of bilking Lloyd’s out of $350,000 by faking a contract to make it appear he had paid $350,000 in training fees to Julio Cesar Chavez for a canceled fight between Chavez and Harold Brazier.

Colombian champion Fernando Caicedo, who claimed he had to fly to California for a fight, instead was held in a Miami jail to prevent flight before a bond hearing in federal court. Caicedo, 26, is charged with possessing $140,000 in counterfeit U.S. currency when he arrived at Miami International Airport last weekend from Cali.

Names in the News

A car owned by A.J. Foyt, four-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, was the first entered in the newly formed Indy Racing League’s inaugural race at Disney World in Orlando, Fla., on Jan. 27. No driver was specified. . . . Linda Elias of the host Long Beach Yacht Club will defend her championship in the Long Beach-Los Angeles Women’s Sailing Assn.’s One-Design Challenge today through Sunday. Eleven all-woman crews will sail five races on Catalina 37s. . . . Alexi Lalas was named male athlete of the year by the U.S. Soccer Federation. . . . New Mexico basketball recruit Kenny Thomas plans to sue the NCAA and the university for being denied freshman eligibility because a ninth-grade science class he took did not meet core-curriculum requirements.