BRIEFLY ASSEMBLY OKS BILL ON UNRULY FANS.

Byline: Daily News Staff and Wire Services

The California Assembly voted Tuesday to crack down on sports fans who start fights, run onto the field or throw things.

By a 66-3 vote, the Assembly sent the state Senate a bill by Assemblywoman Rebecca Cohn, D-Saratoga, that would allow fines up to $250 for throwing items or going onto a court or playing field during professional sporting events.

Assembly members also approved, by a 63-9 vote, a bill by Assemblyman Ronald Calderon, D-Covina, that would authorize a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a $2,000 fine for hitting a fan or an athlete during an amateur or professional event.

MOTOR SPORTS: Winston Cup driver Jerry Nadeau, who suffered head, lung, rib and shoulder injuries in a wreck during practice May 2 at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway, has returned to North Carolina.

--Jimmie Johnson's crew chief, Chad Knaus, was fined $2,500 by NASCAR for using an unapproved refrigerant near the fuel system before qualifying for the Coca-Cola 600 in Concord, N.C.

GOLF: The PGA of America has opened registration for tickets to the 2004 Ryder Cup in Detroit to the general public. Entries will be accepted at the Ryder Cup Web site (www.rydercup.com) through Aug. 15.

BOXING: IBF cruiserweight champion James Toney was arrested in Lansing, Mich., and charged with failing to pay more than $100,000 in child support for his 10-year-old daughter.

FIGURE SKATING: The seven-event Grand Prix figure-skating series, with its new judging format, will begin Oct. 22 with Skate America in Reading, Pa., and end with the Grand Prix final in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Dec. 12-14.

FOOTBALL: The New Orleans Saints have acquired linebacker Derrick Rodgers from Miami for their seventh-round pick next year.

--Bill Paschal, who led the NFL in rushing in 1943 and 1944 with the New York Giants, died of congestive heart failure at age 81 at his home in Marietta, Ga.

MEDIA: Annika Sorenstam's presence at the Colonial helped improve ratings on CBS by 4 percent over last year, even though she didn't play on the weekend. Sorenstam's first two rounds also gave USA Network record ratings.

BASEBALL: In what figures to be the first of many postseason awards for Jeff Clement, the USC catcher was named Pacific-10 Conference Freshman of the Year.

Clement hit 21 homers, the most ever by a Trojans freshman. Other members of the All-Pac-10 team include USC senior shortstop Anthony Lunetta, UCLA sophomore pitcher/first baseman Wes Whisler, Arizona third baseman Brad Boyer (Camarillo High) and California junior third baseman Conor Jackson (El Camino Real of Woodland Hills).