Bullpen Is Baffled by Throwin’ Voice

Baseball players apparently never run out of ways to have fun at the expense of their teammates. Yankee relief pitcher Dave Righetti told the New York Times:

“Our bullpen is right under the bleachers, and we hear a lot of stuff from fans. In the last two years, Charlie Hudson would come out there and hide behind a pillar, disguise his voice and act like a fan. He’d ride us, give us the Bronx cheer, the whole works.

“Scott Nielsen went for a month thinking it was the real thing. I don’t think Neil Allen ever found out.”

Trivia time: Who pitched the first no-hitter in Dodger Stadium?

Sweet dreams: Andre Rison, Indianapolis Colts receiver from Michigan State, on his $890,000 signing bonus, half of which is deferred: “My money is sleeping. I hope when it wakes up, there’s more of it.”

Slim-and-none Dept.: Indicating that Clipper General Manager Elgin Baylor never had a chance of signing Danny Ferry, Ailene Voisin of the Atlanta Journal wrote:

“Former Clipper Coach Gene Shue, who was fired last Jan. 18, is Danny Ferry’s godfather and a close friend of the family. During his 20 months with the organization, Shue tangled frequently with Baylor regarding personnel and coaching matters.”

Accursed one: Headline in the Seattle Times after Bert Blyleven of the Angels had pitched a shutout against the Seattle Mariners in the Kingdome: “Blankety-blank Blyleven.”

Fickle fates: Writes Russ White of the Orlando Sentinel, indicating all has not gone well for the 1969 Miracle Mets:

“Donn Clendenon, who gained a law degree after his playing career, pleaded guilty to a charge of cocaine possession last year in Sioux Falls, S.D. Catcher Jerry Grote served time in jail for cattle sale fraud. Left fielder Cleon Jones received a suspended sentence for forging checks. Reliever Jack DiLauro joined a California commune in 1970 and hasn’t been heard from since.”

White said 14 of the 25 players have been divorced, two of them twice.

Straight arrow: How straight is Mike Reid off the tee? Writes Gordon S. White Jr. of the New York Times: “Usually, you do not ask Reid how many fairways he missed. You ask him how many water sprinkler lines he missed.”

‘Fessing up: As he goes into his fifth year as a CBS football analyst, Terry Bradshaw told the Houston Chronicle, “I should’ve been canned right off the bat, but I was given a chance. I’ve cut out all the silliness; there’s only one John Madden.”

Heat treatment: Boston’s Mike Boddicker, asked his secret after he had reeled off five straight victories with a 0.78 earned-run average, said: “More fastballs. You’d be surprised how many fastballs right down the middle hitters miss.”

Trivia answer: Bo Belinsky of the Los Angeles Angels. On May 5, 1962, he did it to Baltimore, 2-0.

Quotebook: George Brett of Kansas City, on the 17-5 loss to Cleveland while Bo Jackson was sidelined: “I knew we were in trouble because our only player who could score touchdowns was on the bench, and we didn’t have time to kick four field goals.”