Bob Engel

A veteran National League umpire has been charged with stealing 4,180 baseball cards from a Target retail store, authorities said. Bob Engel, 56, was released on $5,000 bail from Kern County Jail Saturday and is scheduled to be arraigned May 2 on misdemeanor counts of commercial burglary and petty theft, police said. A Target security officer told police that Engel put seven boxes of Score brand baseball cards, valued at $143.98, into a brown paper bag he pulled from the waist band of his pants.

Suspended National League umpire Bob Engel announced his retirement after being sentenced Wednesday to three years on probation and ordered to perform 40 hours of community service for stealing baseball cards. Bakersfield Municipal Court Judge Lee Felice also ordered Engel to continue obtaining counseling until the counselor thinks he no longer needs therapy. Through his attorney, Engel pleaded no contest earlier in the day.

A veteran National League umpire was charged with stealing 4,180 baseball cards from a Target retail store in Bakersfield, authorities said. Bob Engel, 56, was released on $5,000 bail from Kern County Jail Saturday and is scheduled to be arraigned May 2 on misdemeanor counts of commercial burglary and petty theft, police said. A Target security officer told police that Engel put seven boxes of Score brand baseball cards, valued at $143.

National League umpire Bob Engel, suspended after he was accused of stealing baseball cards, faces a new charge of trying to take cards from a second store. Engel pleaded innocent Tuesday to misdemeanor counts of shoplifting seven boxes of Score baseball cards from a Target store on April 21 and attempting to steal 50 packs of cards from Costco in January. Engel, an umpire since 1966, was placed on indefinite suspension by the National League on April 24.

Suspended National League umpire Bob Engel announced his retirement after being sentenced Wednesday to three years on probation and ordered to perform 40 hours of community service for stealing baseball cards. Bakersfield Municipal Court Judge Lee Felice also ordered Engel to continue obtaining counseling until the counselor thinks he no longer needs therapy. Through his attorney, Engel pleaded no contest earlier in the day.

Tom Lasorda had seen enough. The Dodger manager raced from the third-base coaching box to confront plate umpire Mike Winters after Eddie Murray struck out swinging to end the sixth inning in Saturday night's game against the Atlanta Braves. "All I wanted to do was talk to him," Lasorda said. But Winters didn't want to talk to Lasorda. Winters ejected Lasorda, who first moved in close to Winters at the plate, then continued to rage at third-base umpire Bob Engel. The confrontation concluded with Lasorda making a gesture at Engel with his right hand as he walked to the dugout.

Best story of the baseball season? It continues to be the one about the veteran major league umpire who got caught shoplifting hundreds of dollars of baseball trading cards. To investigate further, we sent out two of our best men--a virtual dragnet. This is the city . . . Bakersfield, California. My name is Downey. I'm a cop. My partner's name is Murray. I carry a badge. The time: 10:13 a.m. It was a clear day in Bakersfield, which was an upset in itself.

National League umpire Bob Engel, suspended after he was accused of stealing baseball cards, faces a new charge of trying to take cards from a second store. Engel pleaded innocent Tuesday to misdemeanor counts of shoplifting seven boxes of Score baseball cards from a Target store on April 21 and attempting to steal 50 packs of cards from Costco in January. Engel, an umpire since 1966, was placed on indefinite suspension by the National League on April 24.

A veteran National League umpire was charged with stealing 4,180 baseball cards from a Target retail store in Bakersfield, authorities said. Bob Engel, 56, was released on $5,000 bail from Kern County Jail Saturday and is scheduled to be arraigned May 2 on misdemeanor counts of commercial burglary and petty theft, police said. A Target security officer told police that Engel put seven boxes of Score brand baseball cards, valued at $143.

A veteran National League umpire has been charged with stealing 4,180 baseball cards from a Target retail store, authorities said. Bob Engel, 56, was released on $5,000 bail from Kern County Jail Saturday and is scheduled to be arraigned May 2 on misdemeanor counts of commercial burglary and petty theft, police said. A Target security officer told police that Engel put seven boxes of Score brand baseball cards, valued at $143.98, into a brown paper bag he pulled from the waist band of his pants.

Best story of the baseball season? It continues to be the one about the veteran major league umpire who got caught shoplifting hundreds of dollars of baseball trading cards. To investigate further, we sent out two of our best men--a virtual dragnet. This is the city . . . Bakersfield, California. My name is Downey. I'm a cop. My partner's name is Murray. I carry a badge. The time: 10:13 a.m. It was a clear day in Bakersfield, which was an upset in itself.

A 23-year-old man was killed Friday night when he and his brother tried to run across Interstate 5 in the South Bay and was struck by a van, authorities said. The victim was identified by the medical examiner as Antonio Palma of Mexico. Deputy Coroner Bob Engel said Palma and his brother, Martin Palma, "saw an opening in the traffic and tried to run across the freeway" just south of the junction of Interstate 905 when Antonio Palma was struck. The driver of the van was not cited at the scene.

Tom Lasorda had seen enough. The Dodger manager raced from the third-base coaching box to confront plate umpire Mike Winters after Eddie Murray struck out swinging to end the sixth inning in Saturday night's game against the Atlanta Braves. "All I wanted to do was talk to him," Lasorda said. But Winters didn't want to talk to Lasorda. Winters ejected Lasorda, who first moved in close to Winters at the plate, then continued to rage at third-base umpire Bob Engel. The confrontation concluded with Lasorda making a gesture at Engel with his right hand as he walked to the dugout.