Battle for Comiskey Mementos May Leave Both Sides a Wreck

Hold the nostalgia.

Speedway Wrecking is on a collision course with the Chicago White Sox. At stake: collectibles.

Irv Kolko, president of the demolition company, said Friday that his bid of $1.2 million to tear down 80-year-old Comiskey Park was based largely on the memorabilia value of the wreckage. The White Sox say they want to sell memorabilia for charity.

Said Howard Pizer, executive vice president of the White Sox: “Typically, salvage means what is left over when someone leaves, and there were specific provisions for that. There is specific language identifying seats and other memorabilia as our property. The quote (in the contract) says, ‘All seats, bases, pitching rubbers and other items of memorabilia.’ That’s pretty specific, isn’t it?”

Add Comiskey: Michael Roche, an attorney for Speedway Wrecking, said: “The contract specifically gives us fixtures, which is even more inclusive than bricks and seats. We receive all salvageable materials.”

Roche blamed the confusion on the Illinois Sports Authority, which, he said, negotiated one contract with the White Sox and another with the wrecking company.

Said Roche: “The Sports Authority sold the same thing twice. The question is: Who has the priority?”

Speedway Wrecking, the White Sox and the Sports Authority will sit down together this week.

Trivia time: On opening day of the 1990 baseball season, which college team had the most players on major league rosters?

Stick to basics: National Hockey League President John Ziegler last week announced a ban on bright-colored equipment because it is not in the image the league wants to portray.

Gerry Meehan, general manager of the Buffalo Sabres, said several players used neon sticks last season. He argued that the flash of color could be a serious distraction.

Said Meehan: “Hand-eye coordination is one of the most important things a player can have, and that brightness might improve someone’s already great hand-eye coordination.”

Let the games begin: From Reuters: “A cure for impotence based on an herbal potion used at China’s imperial court has won a gold medal at the Asian Games.”

Will he scoot?: Former New York Yankee shortstop Phil Rizzuto, a broadcaster with the team for 34 years, may have called his last Yankee game unless WPIX-TV is able to purchase the rights to broadcast 1991 games from the Madison Square Garden cable network.

Said Rizzuto: “I have a terrible feeling right now. I’m not an emotional guy, but today, thinking about all of this, I had tears in my eyes. Fifty years have gone by and I can’t believe there’s a chance I won’t be coming here any more. It’s kind of frightening.”

Deep rough: The eighth hole at Pebble Beach, positioned alongside a perilous cliff, is one of the course’s most challenging.

Novice golfer Bill Sadler, 45, a lieutenant commander in the British Navy, won’t argue that. The eighth proved to be his downfall--literally.

Sadler was trying to retrieve a ball when he fell 150 feet. He suffered only a broken rib and cuts.

Said Sadler: “I’m extremely lucky. . . . The ball was just over the edge of the cliff. I reached down trying to get it and the ground gave way.”

Trivia answer: Texas, with 14.

Quotebook: Phil Rizzuto, in his final telecast of the WPIX-TV Yankee season, as the last batter hit a fly ball to left field: “A high fly, and while it’s in the air, happy birthday to Daphne Lapizana. She turns 18 today.”