Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

League Jumps Deion For Lack Of Uniformity

From Wire Reports

National League officials have asked Cincinnati Reds outfielder Deion Sanders to stop wearing a uniform that he said is a tribute to Jackie Robinson.

Now they want to find out how he got the uniform without them knowing about it.

Sanders said he asked uniform maker Russell Corp. for a road uniform with shorter sleeves and higher pant legs than his teammates, similar to a uniform that Robinson wore during the 1940s and 1950s after he broke the sport’s color barrier 50 years ago.

Since baseball requires all players on each team to wear identical uniforms, the sport said it needs to know about differences before Russell makes the uniform. Until Wednesday, the National League office thought Sanders cut the sleeves himself.

“They’re supposed to ask us,” said league vice president Katy Feeney. “That’s why we’re looking into all of this.”

Feeney said the league asked Sanders to stop wearing the uniform.

Although Sanders had worn it since the Reds played their first road game last Friday, baseball officials didn’t realize it was different until Monday. Feeney noticed the uniform was different than those worn by other Cincinnati players while watching the Colorado Rockies’ home opener, against the Reds at Denver.

“I know everybody out there is going to say there’s Deion again out there trying to make a name for himself, trying to look different,” Sanders said. “But I was looking for a way to honor Jackie. I was looking for a way to look like Jackie.”

Yankees come home

For one sparkling afternoon in a baseball stadium in the Bronx, the Yankees will actually have grander expectations than their demanding fans. The Yankees expect today to be a day they will long cherish as a new World Series flag joins 22 others over Yankee Stadium. They expect more than 57,000 sets of vocal cords to make the day feel like a Nine Inch Nails concert inside a garage. They expect to feel like champions. Again.

With the legendary Joe DiMaggio tossing out the first pitch, manager Joe Torre and general manager Bob Watson participating in the pregame ceremonies and standout right-hander David Cone starting against Oakland, the elements are in place for the memorable day. The Yankees expect to celebrate. Again.

“That place will be rocking,” Mariano Duncan said. “It’s going to be rocking in New York. It’s going to be so exciting. We’ve been waiting for this moment.”

Ruling defines rights to Irabu

The Japanese commissioner’s office has ruled that the San Diego Padres will have the negotiating rights to pitcher Hideki Irabu for two seasons, a baseball lawyer said Thursday.

The Padres obtained Irabu’s rights in a deal with his Japanese club, the Chiba Lotte Marines, in January. But the right-hander has refused to negotiate with San Diego, insisting that he be traded to the New York Yankees.

San Diego has received several strong offers for Irabu from other major league clubs, but things have been quiet since before opening day.

Royals commission statues

The Kansas City Royals will honor George Brett and three other prominent figures in the city’s baseball history with statues.

The team also will put up statues of the late Ewing and Muriel Kauffman, former owners of the team; and Buck O’Neil, a star with the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro American League and the first black man to coach in the major leagues.

Julia Irene Kauffman, daughter of the Kauffmans, will pay for the full-size statues of her parents. The team will pay for the statues of Brett, a future Hall of Famer who played 20 years for the Royals, and O’Neil, a longtime scout.