Team’s Plan Shocks Politicians
The latest attempt to curb fan violence at soccer games in Britain has been short-circuited by the politicians.
“Electrocuting people is not the answer to football (soccer) hooliganism,” said Simon Turney, chairman of the public services committee of the Greater London Council.
So saying, Turney ordered the Chelsea soccer club not to turn on an electric fence designed to keep hooligan fans off the playing field at its London stadium.
The electric wire--like that used by farmers to prevent cattle from straying--already was in place, but club chairman Ken Bates said after the warning he would turn on the current only if his lawyers advised it was legal to do so.
Bates said a wire running along the fence 11 feet above the ground will give a sharp but harmless shock to any fans who try to climb it.
From Pete Rose, claiming he isn’t under any pressure as he pursues Ty Cobb’s record: “Pressure would be if I knew I wasn’t going to play in 1986 and it was the last day of the 1985 season and I needed six hits.”
Remember the immortal words of Bill (Spaceman) Lee? Asked how much pressure he felt on the mound, he said: “Thirty-two pounds per square inch at sea level.”
Add Lee: He told Bob Padecky of the Sacramento Bee: “When I was with the Red Sox, someone asked me why my ball moves so much when I throw it. I told them the reasoning was simple. Because of the way Abner Doubleday designed a baseball field, it always points to the Southern Hemisphere.
“Therefore, when I throw, a majority of mass is always pulling at my ball. That’s why it moves so well. My manager then, Don Zimmer, didn’t like that one at all.”
Don Rickles, to Nevada Attorney General Brian McKay at the Hagler-Hearns fight: “If you’d put more criminals in jail you coulda had a seat closer to ringside.”
Rickles, to promoter Don King: “Go buy a comb.”
Quiz Time: Name the only player who appeared in the last two World Series. (Answer below.)
For What It’s Worth: The given name of Chili Davis of the San Francisco Giants is Charles Theodore Davis. He wasn’t nicknamed Chili for anything hot he did on the diamond. When he was in the sixth grade, a friend called him Chili Bowl for a haircut he received. Later, the Bowl was dropped.
Would-you-believe-it dept.: It would take Chuck Nevitt 131 years to earn as much as Magic Johnson earns in a year. The Lakers pay Nevitt $19,005 a year. Magic gets $2.5 million.
Up to last week, about the only expert who had endorsed the drafting of Sam Bowie ahead of Michael Jordan by the Portland Trail Blazers was announcer Tom Heinsohn.
Now, he’s been joined by Dallas forward Mark Aguirre, who played with Bowie on the 1980 Olympic team and currently is opposing him in the playoffs.
He’s going to be good,” Aguirre said. “I talked to him about it the other night. Jordan is very exciting, but guards don’t win championships. Bowie is going to be there when championship time comes. Players like that bring championships.”
Seattle broadcaster Dave Niehaus, on the Mariners: “They are following the words of the Lord, who said, ‘Go forth and be fruitful and multiply.’ ”
Translation: Sixteen player wives are pregnant or have given birth in the last year.
Quiz Answer: Relief pitcher Willie Hernandez. He played for Philadelphia in 1983 and Detroit in 1984.
Quotebook
St. Louis Manager Whitey Herzog, on the value of shortstop Ozzie Smith: “If we traded him to the Cubs, they’d win by 30 games. If we traded him to the Mets, they’d win by 20 games. If we traded him to the Phillies, they’d have a chance to win.”
