Hang on to your hat too long and the cops play hardball

You may have read that slugger J.D. Drew has opted out of his contract with the Dodgers. But here’s a story about a guy who does want to wear a Dodgers hat.

In fact, he insists upon it. So much so that he wound up being subdued by a Taser gun at a Saginaw, Mich., City Council meeting, the Saginaw News reported.

The man, a college student named Charles Littleton II, was asked to doff his hat in accordance with council rules. Littleton refused, then got into a verbal spat with a police officer that turned into a scuffle before he was Tasered.

Littleton will be charged with assault, police said, giving new meaning to the phrase Dodger blue.

Hat jinx? When actor Hugh Grant was arrested in 1995 for soliciting a prostitute in Hollywood, he was also wearing a Dodgers cap. But he gave officers no problems about removing the cap for his booking photo.

So many choices: With our year-round sunshine, Southern California could well be the yard sale capital of the nation. I’ve come across an amazing variety of such events over the years (see accompanying), including sales featuring:

* Animal fat (spotted by Suzanne Moore of Long Beach)

* A couple who are splitsville (Irwin Zucker of Hollywood)

* A web-footed creature (Eric Hoffman)

* A watery setting (Heivis Friezer)

Might come in handy during rush hour: KFWB-AM (980) radio reported that a man in India who is hoping to get into the Guinness Book of Records has invented a motorized toilet that has a maximum speed of 25 mph.

miscelLAny: Maybe Hallmark has been inspired by the prevalence of awards shows for actors and singers. Whatever, the company seems to have cards these days for just about every happening.

In one store, I saw “congratulatory” sections labeled “New Car,” “Potty-Trained Kids,” “New Venture,” “New Cat,” “New Dog” and “New Home.” The way the real estate market is starting to decline, perhaps Hallmark will soon create a card that brags: “Sold Home.”

Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LA-TIMES, Ext. 77083, by fax at (213) 237-4712, by mail at Metro, L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A. 90012 and by e-mail at steve.harvey@latimes.com.