Vernon Maxwell

For the price of a fifth-round draft choice, the Chargers on Thursday obtained a talented, but seemingly troubled linebacker, Vernon Maxwell, from the Indianapolis Colts. Maxwell (6-foot 2-inches, 225 pounds) is a third-year pro from Arizona State who was named the National Football League's defensive rookie of the year in 1983.

When Stands Weren't Grand A sampling of fan-player incidents in the stands or crowd in four sports: BASEBALL * Sept. 24, 1981: In the sixth inning of the Dodgers' 7-3 victory over the San Francisco Giants, Dodger right fielder Reggie Smith entered the stands from the playing field at Candlestick Park to punch a fan who had thrown a plastic batting helmet at him.

Vernon Maxwell of the Houston Rockets was fined $7,000 for a flagrant foul against Nate McMillan of Seattle during Friday night's season opener between the Rockets and SuperSonics in Yokohama, Japan.

San Antonio Spur guard Vernon Maxwell was suspended without pay for one game by the team for an incident during Saturday's victory over Indiana. The Spurs said Maxwell made gestures and body language that were not appropriate toward fans at Market Square Arena. Maxwell will miss tonight's home game against the Houston Rockets. * The NBA fined Milwaukee Buck center Armon Gilliam $7,500 for committing a flagrant foul against Cleveland's Bob Sura in a game Saturday.

Houston guard Vernon Maxwell has broken a bone in his left wrist and will be out of the Rocket lineup for at least two weeks.

The Rams signed free-agent linebacker Vernon Maxwell, 29, who has not played since the 1989 season, when he had 19 tackles in nine games with the Seattle Seahawks.

Philadelphia 76er guard Vernon Maxwell was sentenced Monday to 90 days in jail in Houston after failing to meet court orders on a marijuana possession charge. After sentencing, Maxwell's attorney, Jim Cooper, moved quickly to file an appeal and Maxwell was released after his bond of $20,000 was paid. Maxwell was not with the 76ers for Monday night's game because his plane was late.

The Rams announced Tuesday that they have signed linebacker Vernon Maxwell, who last played in 1989 with the Seattle Seahawks. An All-American at Arizona State, Maxwell was drafted by the Baltimore Colts in 1983 and led the team with 11 sacks. He also has played for the San Diego Chargers, Detroit Lions and Phoenix Cardinals. After playing nine games in which he had 19 tackles with Seattle in 1989, Maxwell was signed by the Cardinals last season.

Philadelphia 76er guard Vernon Maxwell was sentenced Monday to 90 days in jail in Houston after failing to meet court orders on a marijuana possession charge. After sentencing, Maxwell's attorney, Jim Cooper, moved quickly to file an appeal and Maxwell was released after his bond of $20,000 was paid. Maxwell was not with the 76ers for Monday night's game because his plane was late.

The Philadelphia 76ers signed controversial guard Vernon Maxwell to a free-agent contract Tuesday. Maxwell spent the last six seasons with the Houston Rockets and was their starting shooting guard during their first championship season, 1993-94, but lost most of his playing time last season after the Rockets traded for veteran all-star Clyde Drexler. The Drexler trade was made after the volatile Maxwell was suspended for 10 games for going into the stands and punching a fan.

Vernon Maxwell, who faked a hamstring injury in the NBA playoffs because he couldn't handle sitting on the bench in Houston, won't have to any more. The league-champion Rockets confirmed Wednesday that on June 30 they had waived Maxwell, whose playing time was diminished when they traded for Clyde Drexler on Feb. 14. Houston is obligated to pay the value of the final year of Maxwell's contract, $1.8 million, because he was not claimed on waivers.

The Houston Rockets placed Vernon Maxwell on an indefinite leave of absence Tuesday, saying the volatile guard wouldn't return to the court this season. The team would not elaborate on why Maxwell was put on leave or say whether the guard will be paid for the rest of this season. Maxwell, who played only 16 minutes during Game 1 of the Rockets' first-round playoff series with Utah and missed Game 2, did not immediately return phone calls.

Vernon Maxwell of the Houston Rockets was suspended for at least 10 games and fined $20,000 by the NBA on Wednesday for walking into the stands and punching a heckler during a game at Portland. The fine matched the highest in league history and the suspension was the second longest. Rod Thorn, the NBA's vice president for operations, said the case is unprecedented in his 10 years in the league.

Steve George, a 35-year-old fan sitting in Memorial Coliseum, has plans for Houston's Vernon Maxwell. "Absolutely I'm pressing charges," George said as he held an ice pack on his left jaw Monday night. "He hit me square. . . . I was hit by an NBA player in the face while I was sitting in Row L and I'm not happy." George and other witnesses said Maxwell charged into the stands and punched him in the third quarter of the Rockets' 120-82 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.

Hakeem Olajuwon had scored 47 points, but still the teams were looking at overtime when Houston called time out with 3.4 seconds to play at home Friday. Look to Olajuwon to win the game? Not with Vernon Maxwell around. He hit a three-point shot with 0.4 seconds to play to beat the San Antonio Spurs, 103-100, and declared it a triumph of skill and knowhow, not of fortune. "(Coach) Rudy (Tomjanovich) drew a great play and the guys executed the play.

A peculiar thing happened the other night as I was watching television and I saw a Houston basketball player, go ballistic in the runway between the court and the locker room to which he had been banished after a second technical foul. Maxwell seemed to be bashing everyone who got in his way down the corridor, and I was kind of glad there weren't any women and children in his path. But something clicked, and I seemed to recall Maxwell had other troubles in the recent past.