He Makes No Bones About Apologizing

During the 1989 NFL season, Sam Wyche, coach of the Cincinnati Bengals, interrupted a game at Riverfront Stadium after fans pelted the field with snowballs. “You don’t live in Cleveland, you live in Cincinnati!” Wyche chided over the public address system.

Friday in Cleveland, Wyche took part in a benefit for the homeless. By hitting a small target with a football or a rawhide bone, fans could dunk Wyche in a tank of water. The bone-throw option was in keeping with the practice of fans in the Cleveland Municipal Stadium “Dawg Pound” showering the field with dog biscuits.

“I hope that this can serve as a calming of the waters between Cleveland and Cincinnati,” Wyche said.

Appropriately, Brown quarterback Bernie Kosar made the first attempt.

He completed it.

Trivia time: Who was the only American League pitcher with an at-bat in 1989?

This just in: From the beginning of Wade Boggs’ major league career in 1982 until 1988, “The Baseball Encyclopedia” listed the Boston Red Sox third baseman as a right-handed batter.

Careful observers will note that Boggs bats left-handed. Macmillan Publishing Co. made the change in its 1990 edition.

Checkpoint Chuck: Pittsburgh Steeler quarterback Bubby Brister, a self-styled good ol’ boy from Monroe, La., likes to have some fun when he’s on the road.

The trouble is, he’s never had fun on a Steeler trip.

He doesn’t expect a change when Pittsburgh visits Montreal to play the New England Patriots in an Aug. 9 exhibition. “You know what (Coach) Chuck Noll’s like,” Brister said. “If we went to Berlin and were scheduled to visit the Wall, he’d probably cancel it.”

A throwback: Before the Chicago White Sox’s “Turn Back the Clock Day” game Wednesday, first baseman Ron Kittle told Sean Horgan of the Hartford Courant: “I have a body that feels like it played in 1917.”

Ground rule: Washington Post columnist Tony Kornheiser, on how to deal with a rotisserie league fanatic: “The proper way to end a conversation with a Roto Guy is by saying, ‘Get a life.’ ”

Rambis no youth: Whenever Phoenix Sun forward Kurt Rambis appears at a summer basketball camp, he emphasizes the staggering odds against reaching the NBA, let alone becoming a superstar.

At Michael Cooper’s camp in Albuquerque, N.M., Thursday, Rambis said, “I think there are more brain surgeons than there are players in the NBA.”

Asked what was the hardest question kids ask him these days, Rambis replied: “ ‘Will you dunk the basketball?’

Trivia answer: Allan Anderson of the Minnesota Twins.

Quotebook: Lee Trevino, on golf’s leadership: “When I reach 60, I’m going to buy a blue blazer and a can of dandruff and run the USGA.”