Athletes in Prison

ANSWER: MacTavish had his own legal issues. As an NHL player, MacTavish was a solid center who enjoyed a long career that spanned from 1979 to 1997. He even won four Stanley Cups. However, he missed the entire 1984-85 season because he was incarcerated. MacTavish had been driving drunk on January 25, 1984, when he was in a wreck that killed a 26-year-old woman. MacTavish was found guilty of vehicular homicide and spent a year in jail before resuming his career. He’s currently the head coach of the Edmonton Oilers. MacTavish had his own legal issues. As an NHL player, MacTavish was a solid center who enjoyed a long career that spanned from 1979 to 1997. He even won four Stanley Cups. However, he missed the entire 1984-85 season because he was incarcerated. MacTavish had been driving drunk on January 25, 1984, when he was in a wreck that killed a 26-year-old woman. MacTavish was found guilty of vehicular homicide and spent a year in jail before resuming his career. He’s currently the head coach of the Edmonton Oilers.

ANSWER: In 1998, Little crashed into and killed another motorist in St. Louis. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail, four years probation and 1000 hours of community service. He was suspended for eight games of the 1999 season. In 1998, Little crashed into and killed another motorist in St. Louis. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail, four years probation and 1000 hours of community service. He was suspended for eight games of the 1999 season.

ANSWER: In December 2007, Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison. In December 2007, Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison.

ANSWER: Denny McLain’s career as a Major League pitcher was brilliant. He won two Cy Young awards, an American League MVP award, and a World Series ring during a career that ran from 1963 to 1972. He’s still mentioned on baseball broadcasts as the last man to win 30 games in a season. McLain wasn’t quite a masterful off the field, though. He had a penchant for gambling, which led him to make underworld connections and even run his own bookmaking operation. These troubles eventually led to the end of his baseball career, at which point McLain veered further afoul of the law. He worked for a Florida financial services company with rumored Mob ties, which led to a 1985 conviction for racketeering, extortion, and drug trafficking. He spent a couple of years in jail on that charge, and then bought a Michigan meat-processing plant in 1994. Two years later the plant went bankrupt, and McLain and his partner were charged with looting $12.5 million from the company’s pension fund. McLain spent six years in federal prison for the theft and was released in 2003. Denny McLain’s career as a Major League pitcher was brilliant. He won two Cy Young awards, an American League MVP award, and a World Series ring during a career that ran from 1963 to 1972. He’s still mentioned on baseball broadcasts as the last man to win 30 games in a season. McLain wasn’t quite a masterful off the field, though. He had a penchant for gambling, which led him to make underworld connections and even run his own bookmaking operation. These troubles eventually led to the end of his baseball career, at which point McLain veered further afoul of the law. He worked for a Florida financial services company with rumored Mob ties, which led to a 1985 conviction for racketeering, extortion, and drug trafficking. He spent a couple of years in jail on that charge, and then bought a Michigan meat-processing plant in 1994. Two years later the plant went bankrupt, and McLain and his partner were charged with looting $12.5 million from the company’s pension fund. McLain spent six years in federal prison for the theft and was released in 2003.

ANSWER: anton racked up 141 penalty minutes during the 2003-04 season, but off the ice he didn’t do his own dirty work. When he wanted his agent, David Frost, dead in 2004, he didn’t want to get his own hands dirty. Instead, he tried to hire a hitman to do the job for him. Unfortunately for Danton, his “hitman” was actually a police dispatcher. anton racked up 141 penalty minutes during the 2003-04 season, but off the ice he didn’t do his own dirty work. When he wanted his agent, David Frost, dead in 2004, he didn’t want to get his own hands dirty. Instead, he tried to hire a hitman to do the job for him. Unfortunately for Danton, his “hitman” was actually a police dispatcher.

ANSWER: Baseball fans remember Urbina as a solid right-handed reliever with a nice fastball/slider combo that helped the Florida Marlins win the World Series in 2003. Fans of Venezuelan jurisprudence remember Urbina as the man behind a horrific assault. Urbina was convicted of attempted murder in 2007 following an incident in which he allegedly attacked five workers on his Venezuelan farm with a machete and then tried to douse them in gasoline. Urbina maintains that he was asleep during the attack and that he is innocent. Baseball fans remember Urbina as a solid right-handed reliever with a nice fastball/slider combo that helped the Florida Marlins win the World Series in 2003. Fans of Venezuelan jurisprudence remember Urbina as the man behind a horrific assault. Urbina was convicted of attempted murder in 2007 following an incident in which he allegedly attacked five workers on his Venezuelan farm with a machete and then tried to douse them in gasoline. Urbina maintains that he was asleep during the attack and that he is innocent.

ANSWER: Perhaps the most infamous of all NFL players, Rae Carruth’s career as a wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers actually got off to a promising start. During his rookie season in 1997, he caught 44 passes, including four touchdowns, and made the NFL’s all-rookie squad. In 1999, though, everything unraveled for him. His pregnant girlfriend was caught in a drive-by shooting. Despite four shots being fired in the car, she managed to call 911 and describe Carruth’s role in the assault. The receiver apparently blocked her car while a shooter in a separate car fired the shots. Carruth posted $3 million bail, but after his girlfriend died, he took off. He was eventually found in Tennessee, hiding in the trunk of a car with a huge pile of cash, some snacks, and a bottle to hold his urine. He’s currently serving no less than 18 years, 11 months in prison following a conviction for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. Perhaps the most infamous of all NFL players, Rae Carruth’s career as a wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers actually got off to a promising start. During his rookie season in 1997, he caught 44 passes, including four touchdowns, and made the NFL’s all-rookie squad. In 1999, though, everything unraveled for him. His pregnant girlfriend was caught in a drive-by shooting. Despite four shots being fired in the car, she managed to call 911 and describe Carruth’s role in the assault. The receiver apparently blocked her car while a shooter in a separate car fired the shots. Carruth posted $3 million bail, but after his girlfriend died, he took off. He was eventually found in Tennessee, hiding in the trunk of a car with a huge pile of cash, some snacks, and a bottle to hold his urine. He’s currently serving no less than 18 years, 11 months in prison following a conviction for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.

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