They’re Stocking Up for a Run at the Series

The Angels went to red uniforms last season and won the World Series. So what do the Boston Red Sox have to lose by actually wearing red socks?

In unveiling uniform revisions at a Boston-area mall Sunday, the Red Sox announced that, among other changes, players will wear red stirrups this season.

The team has not worn solid red socks since before World War II. And, of course, it hasn’t won the World Series since World War I, in 1918.

If the Red Sox do win the Series this season, expect the Yankees’ “Evil Empire” to unveil red pinstripes in 2004.

Trivia time: Atlanta’s Dany Heatley on Sunday became the fifth player to score four goals in the NHL All-Star game, joining Wayne Gretzky (1983), Mario Lemieux (1990), Vincent Damphousse (1991) and Mike Gartner (1993). What was notable about Gretzky’s four-goal game?

They’re back: Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee saw something familiar in the Lakers’ victory over the Kings on Friday night:

“In the playoff atmosphere of Arco Arena -- in their first visit of the year no less -- the Lakers proved once again that they can play their silly games throughout the season, can lull opponents into believing that their championship drive has stalled, that their toes and their egos have become too fragile, and perhaps even fool their own coach for a while. But forget it. They are not to be believed.

“Give them a whiff of Arco Arena and write the numbers on the blackboard -- 20 victories plus 23 defeats does not equal the playoffs -- and Shaq, Kobe, Fox and the fellas get serious.”

Add Lakers: Voisin also wrote, “Even when Chris Webber, Scot Pollard and Bobby Jackson are available, Shaq and Kobe can be unstoppable. Friday night they were simply unbeatable....

“They were too good, too much. These were the Lakers, revisited.”

Sorry, wrong number: Mike Downey of the Chicago Tribune reports that former Dodger first baseman Eric Karros had a little trouble getting a uniform number with his new team, the Cubs.

Karros said he didn’t even ask about his Dodger number, 23, which Ryne Sandberg wore for the Cubs -- “No way I commit that kind of gaffe,” Karros said.

He did request his old UCLA number, 26, but was told that was the number worn by former Cub great Billy Williams.

Then he asked for No. 14, but was told that belonged to “Mr. Cub,” Ernie Banks.

Karros settled for No. 32, his Dodger number reversed.

Looking back: On this date in 1990, Bill Shoemaker finished fourth on Patchy Groundfog in his final ride at Santa Anita. Shoemaker, 58, finished his 40-year career with $123,375,524 in earnings, a record 8,833 wins, 6,136 seconds and 4,987 thirds in 40,350 starts.

Trivia answer: Gretzky scored all four goals in the third period of the Campbell Conference’s 9-3 victory.

And finally: Jim Armstrong in the Denver Post: “Now that the season is finished, was ‘Monday Night Football’ any more entertaining with John Madden in the booth instead of those other yahoos? Just admit it. As time has passed, it’s become abundantly clear that Howard Cosell made ‘MNF’ what it was.”

-- Alex Kimball