Housing crisis may hit Bronx
Opening day at Yankee Stadium is always a special occasion, but today’s rescheduled opener has an added element because it is the last.
Next year, the Yankees move into a new stadium after 84 seasons at the House That Ruth Built.
But even though some things are missing -- Joe Torre, Yankees manager for 12 seasons, is now with the Dodgers; Bob Sheppard, the stadium public address announcer since 1951, is recuperating from an illness; and longtime television broadcaster Bobby Murcer is recovering from a brain biopsy -- the expectation of winning remains.
“We’re hoping to try to rock the house here one more season . . . or somebody’s going to rock my house,” General Manager Brian Cashman said.
Wonder whom he might be referring to . . .
Trivia time
Washington Senators pitcher Walter Johnson holds the record for wins on opening day, going 9-5 in openers during his 21-year career. How many of those wins were shutouts?
Brothel-ly love
New York Rangers forward Sean Avery is known almost as much for dating supermodel Rachel Hunter and actress Elisha Cuthbert as he is for his on-ice work.
But according to a report in the New York Daily News, Avery might sometimes pay to have an attractive lady on his arm.
The paper reported it had discovered his name and cellphone number in the little black book of Manhattan madam Kristin Davis, the call girl famously connected to former New York governor Eliot Spitzer.
The paper dialed the number listed in the book and, lo and behold, Avery picked up. He denied any involvement with Davis.
“For some reason, I highly doubt that,” Avery told the Daily News, insisting he was the target of a practical joke. “It’s April Fools’ Day coming up and I’m not going to fall for it.”
That’s his story, anyway, and he’s sticking to it.
Trying times
British sprinter Dwain Chambers, the 2002 European champion in the 100 meters who was banned from track from 2003 to 2005 after testing positive for the steroid THG, is trying a comeback -- in rugby.
Chambers signed with Castleford of the European Super League last week.
It’s not his first attempt at a new start in a different sport: Last season, he played receiver with the Hamburg Sea Devils of NFL Europe.
If rugby doesn’t work out, baseball could be an option, what with its history of tolerance for steroid users and all.
Speed thrills
So what does a seven-time Formula One champion do for fun after retiring from automobile racing with a record 91 race victories?
To start, he takes two wheels off his vehicle.
Michael Schumacher, retired from Formula One since 2006, finished fourth in a motorcycle race in Italy on Sunday, his first race on two wheels.
“There’ll be no second career on motorbikes,” he told reporters. “This is just a hobby.”
Tight grip
Golfer Woody Austin is known for being hard on himself, having once rapped his head with his putter so hard that he bent the shaft after leaving a putt short.
Sunday the abuse was more mental after he made a double bogey on the final hole at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans that cost him a chance to win.
“I know I was choking,” Austin said. “I’m not going to lie to you. I’m not going to give you a political answer and say, ‘Well, I just didn’t have my game today.’ I didn’t have my game today because I was scared out of my gourd and I was puking my guts out. That’s the reality of it.”
Trivia answer
All nine. Johnson also had 101 other shutouts for a total of 110, a major league record.
And finally
Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News, noting that the San Francisco Giants lost 91 games last year, offered 100 reasons why they will lose 100 games this year.
Among them: Catcher Bengie Molina, who had 19 home runs and 81 runs batted in last season, is batting cleanup.
“He’d bat eighth for the Dodgers,” Kawakami wrote. “Might bat ninth for Colorado.”
--