Cheap Seats

Here’s hoping Blue wasn’t tuned in

While broadcasting a New York Yankees game back in the early ‘90s, Phil Rizzuto found time to comment on chess. And for once, Scooter wasn’t out in left field:

“A lot of money in that chess. I’ll tell you that. It’s got to be … Can’t be. .. Not a good game for television. I’m not knocking it. But it’s not a good spectator sport.”

But the New York Liberty jersey had no takers

Police and school officials are puzzling over the theft of Rebecca Lobo’s high school basketball jerseys from a trophy case at the Southwick-Tolland (Mass.) Regional High School.

“I don’t think it was an outsider,” said assistant principal James Vincent, who was Lobo’s high school coach. He said he suspects it was “just someone doing mischief.”

The name of the former Connecticut and Olympic star is not on either of the green-and-white jerseys she wore when the school won the state high school championship in 1991.

The thieves left other memorabilia, including a basketball from a game in which Lobo set the state high school scoring record.

“We are all disappointed that someone would do that,” Rebecca’s mother, Ruthann Lobo, said. “It was a tribute to her and the town that they are on display, and they really belong to all the students.”

But she’s keep the $250,000 WNBA salary all to herself.

Aces in the hole

Most golfers go a lifetime without hitting a hole-in-one.

Tommy Catone has done it twice - in one round.

Catone pulled off the feat at a tournament at Catawba Country Club in Hickory, N.C.

First, he knocked it in off the tee at the 174-yard No. 3 hole. When he and playing partner came to the No. 17 hole, a 203-yard par-3, Catone’s shot off the tee took two hops, and then rolled into the hole.

Catone’s golf game put him in some exclusive company. According to Golf Digest, the odds of a PGA Tour player having just one hole-in-one in a round are 3,708 to 1.

The odds of shooting par are considerably worse.

Check your Atomic fireballs at the door

After a backlash from fans outraged by the announcement that they would not be allowed to carry food or drinks into Arizona Diamondbacks home games, the National League expansion team is reconsidering its stance.

“The acronym for Bank One Ballpark is BOB - not BYOB,” Arizona Republic columnist David Casstevens wrote, envisioning “food police” confiscating jawbreakers and M&Ms from children.

McEnroe tongue-tied?

John McEnroe, a tennis commentator for USA Network, found time to hobnob with the advertisers at the network’s new fall shows party.

Mac was in the party tent mingling when a young female guest sidled up to him and said coyly, “So, would you throw a tantrum for me?”

McEnroe, speechless, turned and walked away.

The last word …

“Albert Belle isn’t such a bad guy. You just have to know how to approach him. When you ask him for an interview, you might say something like, ‘Got a minute, Albert, or should I just stick this tape recorder in my ear?”’ - Jim Armstrong of the Denver Post