Vaughn’s Gesture Certainly Wasn’t Sign of the Times

Stories about athletes snubbing fans who want autographs are commonplace, so it’s nice to hear one that turns out the other way.

When a group of children and young adults, in wheelchairs with a variety of disabilities, went early to Boston’s Fenway Park before a game, Red Sox first baseman Mo Vaughn met with them and signed autographs during batting practice.

Vaughn didn’t have time to sign for everybody, related Kevin Paul Dupont in the Boston Globe, but later in the afternoon he sought out the group outside the team’s dressing room. Vaughn asked for a show of hands of those who didn’t get his signature, and before he left, he signed for everybody he missed the first time.

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Trivia time: Eddie Gaedel was the 3-foot-7, 65-pounder used by St. Louis Brown owner Bill Veeck as a pinch-hitter against Detroit in 1951. Who did Gaedel bat for and after he walked on four pitches, who replaced him as a pinch runner?

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Fish talk: Chicago White Sox announcer Tom Paciorek, after the Angels’ Tim Salmon struck out looking at a called strike: “Salmon takes the bait.”

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Looking ahead: According to a poll taken by ESPN, Texas tailback Ricky Williams is the Heisman Trophy preseason favorite. Second is Kentucky quarterback Tim Couch. UCLA quarterback Cade McNown is rated No. 6.

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How good are they? A few of David Letterman’s reasons why the New York Yankees are getting arrogant:

* Visiting teams are automatically given a six-run head start.

* Most Yankees leave at the top of the eighth to beat traffic.

* Coaches give most of their hand signals to the beer vendors.

* New promotion: Get a Refund Plus $10,000 if the Yankees Lose Day.

* Sometimes they let an American guy pitch.

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Looking back: On this day in 1990, Kelly Craig became the first female starting pitcher in Little League World Series history when she opened for Trail, British Columbia. She failed to retire any of the three batters she faced, but the Canadian champions beat Matamoros, Mexico, 8-3.

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Modern society: From the Vent, in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “It’s not whether you win or lose--it’s how you place the blame.”

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Different strokes: Sammy Sosa is challenging Roger Maris’ home run record, but Skip Bayless of the Chicago Tribune remembers when the Cub outfielder was a wild swinger.

“When he first was called up by the Texas Rangers, Sosa was best known for singling to right in a Class-A game off a pitch that bounced,” Bayless wrote.

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Trivia time: He batted for Frank Saucier and was taken out for Jim Delsing.

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And finally: Dusty Baker chews toothpicks while managing from the San Francisco Giants’ dugout to try to keep from using smokeless tobacco. He still uses about a can a week away from the field.

“I’m gonna quit,” he told John Shea of the San Francisco Examiner.

When?

“While I’m still alive.”