Straight Talk About a Son’s Curveball

Few Father’s Day tributes were more poignant than the one a 14-year-old lad named Jared shared during a contest held by KSPN-AM (710).

Jared said he wanted to thank his father for teaching him how to throw a curveball. “He told me to throw 10 of them,” Jared said. “I hit seven batters.” Co-host John Ireland asked him if his pitching career had since gotten back on the right track. “I play catcher and first base now,” Jared said.

Unclear on the concept: Gary Fisher of Lake Forest noticed a warning that seems all wet (see photo).

From water to fire ... : In a Westwood restaurant, Patty Malone spotted what she thinks “might be a violation of the fire code” (see accompanying).

Attention, thespians: Olga Moore of Lakewood sent along a snapshot of an El Monte shop, adding, “One would think it would be a more profitable venture in Hollywood” (see photo).

Talk about leftovers: Robert Tolson of Torrance came across a sausage product that was 2 centuries old (see accompanying).

What happened, of course, was that the day of the month (18) and the year (06) were run together, for which a needy item columnist is thankful.

Stupid Criminal Tricks: A prospective buyer at a bicycle shop took a $650 machine for a trial spin and never returned, the Claremont Courier reported. When last seen, he was wearing a helmet that said “Test Ride” on the side. He also left behind a driver’s license with a San Bernardino County address as collateral.

A few days later a Claremont police officer recognized him walking down the street. While the thief denied any knowledge of the bicycle, he agreed to go back to his motel room with the cop.

The bike was parked there, whereupon the man suddenly remembered he had purchased it. His attempt to peddle his innocence fell flat, though, when one item was spotted in the room: the “Test Ride” helmet.

miscelLAny: He was a little old to play hide-and-seek. The driver of a stolen car ran from cops in West L.A., reported the Thin Blue Line, a police publication. He was found in an apartment laundry room, crammed inside a dryer. And feeling the heat.

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Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LATIMES, Ext. 77083, by fax at (213) 237-4712, by mail at Metro, L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A. 90012, and by e-mail at steve.harvey@latimes.com.