
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 3, 1994                   TAG: 9403030105
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C6   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

IRS PROBING STRAWBERRY

Baseball slugger Darryl Strawberry may be slugging it out in a courtroom over charges of income tax evasion.

Citing sources familiar with the investigation, the New York Daily News reported Wednesday that Strawberry allegedly failed to disclose "in excess of $300,000" of income derived from signing autographs at baseball card and memorabilia shows.

A law enforcement source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told the Associated Press that federal investigators had been looking "for a while" at a case involving the Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder.

However, investigators would not disclose the subject or the status of the probe.

Marvin Smilon, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office in the Southern District, which reportedly is hearing the case, said it was the office's policy to neither confirm nor deny whether an investigation was ongoing.

The newspaper said the investigation by the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District includes three other prominent major-leaguers - Howard Johnson, Lenny Dykstra and Eric Davis.

But Strawberry, 31, is the only player facing possible criminal charges, according to sources quoted by the Daily News.

by CNB