Uniform Says Tigers, Locker Says Goat

Detroit Tiger Manager Buddy Bell likes to finish workouts with a game called “27 Outs.” Various situations are set up, then the coaches hit fungoes, and the defenders have to make 27 consecutive outs.

They got to 26 on Feb. 26, Gene Guidi of the Detroit Free Press reported, when Bell asked for a volunteer to field the final ball.

“Give me the . . . white thing!” shouted Billy Ripken, who was playing shortstop. Bell hit Ripken the ball. He booted it. So the players had to get another 27 in a row.

When the players got to the clubhouse, outfielder Bobby Higginson had taped “BUCKNER” over Ripken’s locker.

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Trivia time: Which player currently competing regularly on the PGA Tour has won the most tournaments?

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Ice follies: Tom FitzGerald in the San Francisco Chronicle: “This just in from the Under-18 European hockey championships in Frankfurt, Germany: Kazakhstan 63, Iceland 0 (this is not a misprint). Thanks for coming, Iceland. Enjoy the sauerbraten.”

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Schoolboys: Theoren Fleury of the Calgary Flames and the Canadian Olympic team, on the U.S. room-trashing in Nagano:

“The Americans acted that way from Day 1 of the Games. Typical. Like a bunch of first-year kids in college. At least we arrived with class and left that way too.”

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Gangway! When play began Thursday in the Nike Tour’s Greater Austin Open, Casey Martin was offered a different mode of transportation, other than his golf cart.

“A wrestler wanted to put me in a harness and carry me down the fairway,” he said.

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Investigative journalism: From the Good Doctor in Inside Sports magazine:

“Question: ‘I heard Isiah Thomas has left his job with the Toronto Raptors to become a basketball broadcaster for NBC. Has he gotten any advice from his TV colleagues?’

“Answer: ‘First day there, Isiah was given Ahmad Rashad’s “Guide to Interviewing Michael Jordan.” Included are such favorite questions as:

“ ‘Michael, are you for real? Michael, can I touch you? Michael, exactly how wonderful are you?’ and, of course, Ahmad’s most frequently quoted query, ‘Michael, what makes you you?’ ”

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Looking back: On this day in 1969, Wilt Chamberlain set a Laker record with 42 rebounds against the Boston Celtics.

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Trivia answer: Tom Watson, with 33. Lanny Wadkins is second with 21.

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And finally: Philadelphia Phillie utility man Rex Hudler was bragging in print recently about his versatility, saying, “I can play seven positions. To do something Cal Ripken and Ken Griffey can’t do, that’s satisfying.”

The next day, Hudler found the article, with that quote highlighted, posted to his locker in Clearwater, Fla.

It also contained a note that read: “Hud, you forgot to mention you go on the DL--something Cal can’t do.”

Hudler sat out 69 games last season while on the disabled list.