Lawrence Taylor Arrested for Trying to Buy Crack Cocaine

Lawrence Taylor, one of the greatest linebackers in NFL history, was arrested Friday night in Myrtle Beach, S.C., when he tried to buy $100 worth of crack cocaine from undercover agents.

Taylor, 37, was arrested along with 17 others in a reverse drug sting, said Hugh Munn, spokesman for the State Law Enforcement Division.

Taylor paid a surety bond of $5,000 and was released after an hour in custody, Munn said.

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Linebacker Kevin Greene, a key member of the AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense, agreed to a two-year deal with the Carolina Panthers. Greene, 34, will be paid $1 million per season and will have a chance to earn about $600,000 more each year through on-field performance incentives. . . . The Houston Oilers agreed to terms with unrestricted free agent running back Ronnie Harmon, who played the last six seasons with the San Diego Chargers. . . . Wide receiver Mike Sherrard, who caught 97 passes over the last two seasons with the Giants, reached agreement with the Denver Broncos on a four-year deal. . . . Quarterback Dave Brown signed a new four-year contract with the Giants.

Boxing

World Boxing Organization junior-featherweight champion Marco Antonio Barrera (40-0, 28 knockouts) headlines a pay-per-view card at the Pond of Anaheim tonight by defending his title against former champion Jesse Benavides (40-4-1, 25 knockouts).

The show includes three other title fights. Mark Johnson (28-1, 20 knockouts) and Francisco Tejedor (43-4, 31 knockouts) will meet for the vacant International Boxing Federation flyweight title, Intercontinental Boxing Council junior featherweight champion Junior Jones (40-2, 25 knockouts) will defend against John Lowey (22-1, 15 knockouts), and North American Boxing Organization junior featherweight titleholder Jesse Magana (17-4-2, eight knockouts) will face challenger Jose Ayala (15-2, six knockouts).

Golf

Mark Brooks got his first bogey in two days, but still shot 68 for a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the Shell Houston Open at The Woodlands, Texas. . . . Brian Barnes shot a six-under-par 66 to tie Graham Marsh for the first-round lead at the PaineWebber Invitational senior event at Charlotte, N.C. . . . Val Skinner’s second consecutive 67 at Daytona Beach, Fla., was good enough for a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the Sprint Titleholders Championship, the LPGA Tour’s richest event.

Tennis

Thomas Muster extended his winning streak on clay to 38 matches by outlasting Mark Philippoussis of Australia, 6-3, 0-6, 6-2, to reach the semifinals of the BMW Open at Munich, Germany. Second-seeded Boris Becker, trying to win his first clay-court event, also reached the semifinals. . . . Top-seeded Michael Chang rallied from four games down in the second set to win his quarterfinal match against Fernando Meligeni, 6-1, 7-5, in the AT&T; Challenge at Atlanta. . . . Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and Conchita Martinez, the two top-seeded players, advanced to the semifinals of the Rexona Cup at Hamburg, Germany.

Motor Racing

Terry Labonte won his fourth pole of the year with a record-breaking qualifying lap of 92.524 mph for the Save Mart Supermarkets 300 at Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma. . . . Blaine Johnson (top fuel), Cruz Pedregon (funny car) and Warren Johnson (pro stock) led their respective categories in qualifying for the NHRA Pennzoil Nationals at Dinwiddie, Va.

Names in the News

Jermaine O’Neal, not yet academically eligible to play college ball, declared himself ready for the NBA draft. The 6-foot-11 O’Neal, a 17-year-old student from Eau Claire High in South Carolina, said he would put that on hold if he gets his test scores high enough to qualify for college before the June 26 draft. . . . Cyclist Lance Armstrong obliterated the field and took the overall lead by winning the second half of a double stage in the Tour DuPont at Raleigh, N.C. . . . Former New York Yankee outfielder Dion James was arrested and charged with marijuana possession after police stopped the player’s car for a broken taillight, according to Hackensack, N.J. police. . . . A week after police said Dallas Maverick guard Tony Dumas beat and punched his pregnant girlfriend, Georgia Foy is suing Dumas, accusing him of drinking excessively and subjecting her to a “pattern of physical, verbal and emotional abuse.” . . . Jim Gleeson, whose career as a professional baseball player, coach and scout lasted over 40 years, died at his home in Kansas City, Mo. He was 84.

Miscellany

Canada defeated Russia on a goal by Yanic Perreault in a tie-breaking shootout, and the Czech Republic overwhelmed the United States, 5-0, at Vienna in the semifinals of the World Ice Hockey Championships. . . . World soccer’s governing body ruled out the idea of Japan and South Korea co-hosting the 2002 World Cup, saying the logistic problems were too great. . . . Nebraska reversed itself and renewed the athletic scholarship of Kate McEwen, the basketball player who was assaulted by football player Lawrence Phillips. . . . Defending champion UCLA will play host to Hawaii in the NCAA men’s volleyball championship match at Pauley Pavilion at 4 p.m. today.