NEWARK, N.J. (AP) Former major league umpire Al Clark was sentenced to four months in prison Thursday for his part in selling baseballs that he and a memorabilia dealer falsely claimed were used in historic games.
The games included the ones when Cal Ripken Jr. tied and broke Lou Gehrig's record for the longest playing streak.
After prison, Clark must serve four months under house arrest. Chief U.S. District Judge John W. Bissell fined Clark $10,000 and ordered him to repay $40,000, including $7,920 to a Texas man who paid that amount for one of the bogus balls.
''This could not have happened without Mr. Clark,'' Bissell said. ''He was the source of authenticity that allowed this to happen.''
Clark, 56, an American League umpire from 1976-2001, was allowed to remain free on bail until he reports on July 12 to a prison to be determined. He had lived in Trenton and now lives in Williamsburg, Va., and Boca Raton, Fla.
He pleaded guilty Feb. 23 to a single count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
Also pleading guilty then was his friend, memorabilia dealer Richard Graessle Jr., 43, of Millburn, who admitted he sold the balls to other dealers, who sold them to the public.
At their pleas, they admitted selling balls that they falsely claimed had been used in several historic games, including Dwight Gooden's May 1996 no-hitter for the New York Yankees; the one-game playoff between the Yankees and Boston Red Sox in October 1978; Nolan Ryan's 300th career victory in July 1990; and others.
Clark signed the balls, and he or Graessle wrote up phony certificates of authenticity, they admitted.
Prosecutors said they sold hundreds of ordinary baseballs as historic. To make the balls appear genuine, they rubbed them to take the gloss off all baseballs used in major league games.
Associated Press.
The games included the ones when Cal Ripken Jr. tied and broke Lou Gehrig's record for the longest playing streak.
After prison, Clark must serve four months under house arrest. Chief U.S. District Judge John W. Bissell fined Clark $10,000 and ordered him to repay $40,000, including $7,920 to a Texas man who paid that amount for one of the bogus balls.
''This could not have happened without Mr. Clark,'' Bissell said. ''He was the source of authenticity that allowed this to happen.''
Clark, 56, an American League umpire from 1976-2001, was allowed to remain free on bail until he reports on July 12 to a prison to be determined. He had lived in Trenton and now lives in Williamsburg, Va., and Boca Raton, Fla.
He pleaded guilty Feb. 23 to a single count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
Also pleading guilty then was his friend, memorabilia dealer Richard Graessle Jr., 43, of Millburn, who admitted he sold the balls to other dealers, who sold them to the public.
At their pleas, they admitted selling balls that they falsely claimed had been used in several historic games, including Dwight Gooden's May 1996 no-hitter for the New York Yankees; the one-game playoff between the Yankees and Boston Red Sox in October 1978; Nolan Ryan's 300th career victory in July 1990; and others.
Clark signed the balls, and he or Graessle wrote up phony certificates of authenticity, they admitted.
Prosecutors said they sold hundreds of ordinary baseballs as historic. To make the balls appear genuine, they rubbed them to take the gloss off all baseballs used in major league games.
Associated Press.
