Milestones

By Melissa August, Val Castronovo, Chen Dan, Tam Gray, Ellin Martens, Michele Orecklin, Julie Rawe, Josh Tyrangiel

RECORD SET. LAFFIT PINCAY JR., 52, Thoroughbred racing Hall of Famer; as jockey with the most wins, supplanting Bill Shoemaker, who held the title for 29 years; with his 8,834th victory; aboard Irish Nip at Hollywood Park; in Inglewood, Calif. The Panamanian's 35-year career includes winning the 1984 Kentucky Derby and three Belmont Stakes.

INDICTED. WEN HO LEE, 59, nuclear-weapons scientist, on 59 counts of mishandling classified data from the Los Alamos weapons laboratory, where he was employed. The Taiwan-born U.S. citizen, who was not charged with espionage, faces the possibility of life in prison.

RETIRED. CHARLES BARKLEY, 36, NBA rebound king and quote machine, following a career-ending knee injury on his farewell tour; in Philadelphia. Barkley made the All-Stars 11 times in his 16-year career and has said he may run for Governor of Alabama.

HONORED. THOMAS E. SPENCER, JAMES F. LYONS, TIMOTHY P. JACKSON, JEREMIAH M. LUCEY, PAUL A. BROTHERTON and JOSEPH T. MCGUIRK, fire fighters who were killed in a warehouse blaze; as heroes, by President Clinton and more than 20,000 fire fighters from around the world; in Worcester, Mass. The fire may have been accidentally sparked when a homeless couple allegedly knocked over a candle.

DIED. RICK DANKO, 56, bass player and singer with the Band; in Woodstock, N.Y. The Band, which began as Bob Dylan's backup ensemble, had several hits in the late '60s and early '70s, including Up on Cripple Creek, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

DIED. FRANJO TUDJMAN, 77, Croatian President credited with gaining his country's independence from Yugoslavia in 1991; in Zagreb, Croatia. His nationalist policies fueled wars with Bosnian Muslims and the Serbs.

DIED. NICCOLO TUCCI, 91, writer of witty and sardonic novels (Before My Time, Unfinished Funeral) and short stories, many with an autobiographical cast and a household of colorful characters; in New York City. Sample advice to novices: "First learn to write as if you were already dead, and then you will discover that you can write as if you were still alive."