Williams Meets Inspiration

Baseball great Ted Williams finally met the man who, 51 years ago, inspired one of the largest cancer funds in the world.

“Jimmy” was a name used to protect the anonymity of Einar Gustafson, then a 12-year-old cancer patient in Boston. The Jimmy Fund began after he sang “Take Me Out To The Ball Game” on national radio from his hospital bed.

The mystery of Jimmy’s identity was cleared up last year after his sister sent a letter with her annual donation to the Jimmy Fund, a Boston Red Sox’ charity.

Now, Gustafson is a 63-year-old truck driver from New Sweden, Maine.

“Who wouldn’t want to see Ted?” said Gustafson, who admitted he was a Boston Braves fan until they left town in 1953.

A few minutes later, Gustafson finally saw him. Williams, a supporter of the fund who frequently visited cancer patients, walked into the room at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

“After all these years!” Gustafson said as they chatted for about 5 minutes while minicams rolled, cameras clicked and young patients waited to meet Williams.

Gustafson was one of the earliest patients to be treated with chemotherapy. Today, money raised by the Jimmy Fund for research has improved youngsters’ chances of survival - youngsters like those Williams met Friday at the institute, a mile from Fenway Park.

One by one, youngsters walked up to Williams for a handshake, a smile and an encouraging word from the Hall of Famer who will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Tuesday night’s All-Star game at Fenway.

Strawberry blames alcohol

Suspended New York Yankees outfielder Darryl Strawberry worked out at a team facility in Tampa, Fla. for the first time since his arrest on drug and solicitation charges in April.

He blamed his latest problems on alcoholism.

“I had a relapse and went back to drinking, due to depression,” said Strawberry, who was rehabilitating from colon cancer surgery when he was arrested April 14 for cocaine possession and solicitation of prostitution. “I’m clean and sober today, and that’s the most important thing.”

Arizona picks up help for bullpen

The Arizona Diamondbacks, in desperate need of a closer, got Matt Mantei from the Florida Marlins for reliever Vladimir Nunez, top pitching prospect Brad Penny and a player to be named.

The Diamondbacks, challenging for the N.L. West title in only their second season, have seen their relievers blow 14 of 29 save chances.

Cal Ripken’s $6.3 million option for the 2000 season was exercised by the Baltimore Orioles, giving baseball’s iron man at least one more year in his brilliant career.

Detroit’s woeful pitching cost pitching coach Rick Adair his job. Detroit hired Dan Warthen, its pitching coach at Triple-A Toledo. to take over a staff with a 5.20 ERA and 35-50 record heading into its weekend series with Milwaukee.

Historic ball fetches big money

Carlton Fisk’s home run ball that won Game 6 of the 1975 World Series sold for $113,273 on the first day of Leland’s two-day auction of sports memorabilia in New York.

The 12th-inning homer, one of the most dramatic in Series history, is remembered for Fisk waving his arms frantically at the ball, as if trying to keep it in fair territory as it sailed toward the wall in Fenway Park.