European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 3, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse Wednesday. March 3, 1993 sports the stars and stripes Pago 33 by George Vecsey a a he says he just might be different this time around. Not getting any younger heh sch heh. He says he just might be a Kinder gentler George re viewing what his trusted assistants have proposed. This was first Day Back talk. This was Lull Mem into submission talk. George m. Steinbrenner Iii who has emerged from his Sanctuary in the Midnight hours to terrorize his staff materialized in the Broad Daylight at fort Lauderdale Fla., monday and asked Tor a clean a two and one Haff year suspension for paying a Gambler Howie Spira for information on Dave Winfield Steinbrenner walked into the Park ing lot of the Yankees training site touching off a Media Melee that lasted for five hours. The new generation of Yankee players trying to practice on the Field sneaking Covert peeks at Stein Renner might have wondered what All the fuss was about. V but to All the old hands the staff the press the men in uniform the Boss triumphant return was a noisy milling reminder of the old Days when Reggie and Billy and Catfish and Gator Ana the Boss were jousting with each other a and winning four pennants. Give the Devil his due. It was familiar seeing the old scamp work the lot stands work the sidelines. He commentary looks Good 11 pounds lighter and he talks a Good game about being a Grandfather. It almost made you forget about the bleats about umpires the threats to his managers the sleepless nights the endless fights we All wished we were in love again As the old song went. But if you were a George watcher from Way Back ruled _ making his Way Ging smiling. Honest it was. Same Guy. He just wanted to enjoy his first Day Back he said. In the same spirit that led him to pose for sports illustrated As Napoleon on a horse Steinbrenner had cooked up this scenario of Marilyn Monroe and George Bush lookalikes arriving at the stadium and then the bearded Steinbrenner slipping into the crowd like Tom Sawyer at his own funeral. He called off the hired acts but in a broader sense there is always an invisible Calliope playing wherever George Steinbrenner roams. The biggest show on Earth. Jojo the do face boy. Barnum a elephant jumbo. Hurry hurry hurry Check out the sideshow maybe there was even a plan for a stretch limousine with a thousand clowns tumbling out. He could have arranged one mass conference but he likes it better in a parking lot. He likes the mob running toward him the camera carriers jostling for position the microphone holders sticking their arms into the scrum the fans calling his name As he tries to accommodate everybody professing great Surprise anybody George Steinbrenner poses with manager Buck Shuwalter in Yankee owner s first Day with team since suspension. Would be interested in a Humble shipbuilder. All the journalists had to Wear special stickers that say Hie Boss is Back March 1,1993. And from the Center of the swarm you could hear just enough to know the Boss was Back Quot it will be different. The desire to win. Everybody should take two years off to see How things Are. If 1 Hadnot been associated with the olympic team it would have been a Long two and a half years Quot this team can do anything it wants. 1 doubt that 1�?Tu talk to them until tomorrow this will teach them what its like in new York. I was Gonna do something dramatic but no there was a touch of Vintage Steinbrenner when somebody asked about his darkest Day. Telling his family he was suspended was one obvious Choice. Then he recalled visiting Barney Nagler the columnist from the daily racing form who was Grav qty ill. According to Steinbrenner Nagler was upset because Steinbrenner was banned from baseball and Nagler died soon afterwards. Then Steinbrenner suggested that his exile Quot might have hastened his demise 1 done to How we would have loved to hear Nagler a version of it. Prodded about his suspension by Fay Vincent who May have been the last of the commissioners Steinbrenner showed no sense of guilt or shame and frankly nobody was expecting it. He suggested that Quot some Day the facts will come out a a whatever that Means. It should be jilted that Fay Vincent s Stem hand had not been stayed by any of Vincent s critics or Stcin Brenner s admirers among the owners. They basically had let Steinbrenner hang by his thumbs. But now be was Back. As this column was being written late monday afternoon Steinbrenner had not fired a single manager general manager or publicist. But it was Early the new Yorlli t my Jackson slated to find out if he s ready by the associated press is to ready he a about to find out. To Jackson will be a designated hitter for the Chicago White sox in wednesdays intr squad game and will take Fly balls in the Outfield later this week. Jackson Learned to slide on his right Side even before his left hip replacement surgery and did a head first dive into third base during a practice session the first week of Camp at Sarasota Fla. Chicago has until March is to decide whether to exercise Jackson a option for 1993 for $910,000 or buy out his contract for $150,000. But general manager Ron Schueler said a decision to pick up the option could come sooner if Jackson a comeback continues once exhibition games begin. Jackson has worked out at first base and continues doing everything during drills except run a the runs fast enough to play a manager Gene Lamont said. A the goes at it Good. The one thing 1 Admire is that when he goes out there he really goes at Camps although Jackson a Speed now is considered to be average Lamont is curious to see How fast Jackson is out of the batters Box. Jackson still displays a slight Limp but it is nowhere near the hobbling Jaclson displayed before leaving Spring training last year. A the question is if his hip does hold up How Good is he going to play a la Mont added. A one big part of his game is his Speed which wont be there. It looks to me like hell have the Power. But As far As the throwing Well have to see More. The one thing i can to forget is How Long has it been since he at Haines City Fla., the Kansas City royals said Pitcher Mike Boddicker will have arthroscopic surgery wednesday to repair torn meniscus cartilage in Nis left knee. Boddicker is to return to Spring Camp saturday. Trainer Nick Swartz said he could be pitching again in two w weeks. A this is the Best shape in be come to Spring training in since i was 22, and 1 still get Hurt a the 35-year-old Boddicker said. Boddicker said he first noticed soreness in the knee Friday and that it got worse after he ran 10 100-Yard dashes saturday morning. He threw batting practice that afternoon but was held out of Fielding drills. A it does t Hurt at All throwing a Boddicker said. A i can pitch on it like this. I just can to do anything else effectively. Its my Landing knee which is even the new York mets received Good news on a pair of players who underwent Fri examinations monday at port St. Lucie Fla. A second baseman Jeff Kent and Pitcher Anthony Young Kent who complained of soreness in his right Arm was diagnosed with a superficial injury to some of the fibres to Nis cuff Tendon and no major structural damage was found. The second baseman will be put on a strengthening program for two weeks and is allo veil to throw lightly in the meantime. Young had Felt soreness in his left leg and an examine Alidort revealed it was just that and the Pitcher miss any time on the Mound. Willie Mays said monday that he is now under a lifetime contract with the san Francisco giants new ownership. A As soon As the club was purchased managing general partner Peter Mago wan told me he wanted me to be a giant for life a said Mays who plans to be in Camp at Scottsdale Ariz. Most of March. A the wanted me to really get involved with Community work getting kids and families interested in coming to the Ballpark. I will be More involved. I have a lifetime Mays who hit 660 career Home runs said he will offer Rookie manager Dusty Baker assistance in any capacity but that he does no to envy the Job. A i done to think 1 could manage Quot Mays said. A i could have managed the mets in 1975, but i said no. You Nave to be Here daily an a i like to move around. It can be a thankless Job. A will do whatever Dusty wants Down Here. Ill be involved in
