Sports Briefs: Four face charges in Boston betting

Friday, Jan. 17, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

A man prosecutors believe has links to organized crime has been arrested, and three others charged in connection with a sports gambling scandal at Boston College, authorities say.

James C. Potter, 33, of Flushing, N.Y., was arrested by New York City police detectives and New York State Police Thursday night and charged with organizing and promoting gambling, using the telephone for gaming purposes and conspiring to organize and promote gambling. Potter was to be arraigned today on a fugitive from justice charge in New York.

Another man, Timothy J. Doheny, 25, of Newton, faced charges of organizing and promoting gambling and conspiring to organize and promote gambling. Jason W. Pines, 26, of Boston and Michael P. Rymsha, 23, of Newburyport, were accused of using the telephone for gaming purposes and keeping places for registering bets.

All three were being sought today. They are not BC students.

Middlesex County District Attorney Thomas Reilly said Potter ran a sports betting organization that employed student bookmakers to take bets and collect from and pay money to student bettors. Potter's associates, Reilly said, traveled to the campus to collect money and meet with student bookmakers.

Derby candidates start campaign

The Silver Move and George Steinbrenner's Acceptable, leading candidates for the Kentucky Derby, begin their 3-year-old campaigns Saturday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fla. They lead a field of 10 in the $100,000, Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes. The rest of the field for the Holy Bull includes Captain Bodgit, Arthur L., Blazing Sword, Love View, Prairie Junction, Gold Book, Buck's Major and Affairwithpeaches. They'll run 1 1-16 miles. Acceptable is the 3-1 favorite, and The Silver Move closed out their 2-year-old seasons on high notes.

Rinker keeps Hope lead

Larry Rinker has spent two rather miserable years remodeling his golf swing, and he believes he's finally finished the project. He'll know more by Sunday. Rinker, 15 years on the PGA Tour without a victory, tenaciously held a share of the lead in Thursday's second round of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic at Indian Wells, Calif. Rinker, invited to the tournament almost as an afterthought, shot a 4-under-par 68 to move to 13-under after two days of the five-day event.

* Arnold Palmer is making an "extraordinary recovery" from surgery for prostate cancer, and was expected to leave the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., today. Palmer, 67, planned to return to his home in Orlando, Fla., as soon as possible, said Doc Giffin, a spokesman for the golfer.

French skier injured

French skier Adrien Duvillard had to be airlifted to hospital today after crashing into a security fence during the downhill trials at Wengen, Switzerland. Duvillard was in very serious condition when he left the slopes, but his vital signs were stable. The crash occurred in the same spot where Austria's Gernot Reinstadler was killed in a 1991 crash.