European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 3, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse Wednesday March 3, 1993 sports the stars and stripes Pago 33 my commentary by George Vecsey he says he just might be different this time around. Not getting any younger heh heh heh. He says he just might be a Kinder gentler George reviewing 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 port Lauderdale Fla., monday and asked for a clean slate. After a two and one half year suspension for pay 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 Stcin Brenner might have wondered what All the fuss was about. A but to All the old hands the staff the press the men in uniform the Bossy 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 parking lot work the stands work the sidelines. He looks Good 11 pounds lighter and he talks a Good game about being a Grandfather. It almost made you forget about the bleats about urn Pires 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 Gcorge watcher from Way Back you caught glimpses of the Man who a a u my fear. It Quot �?~1 ? Way through 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 i d b h / Fujiu glimpses us me Man no mating his Way through the pack sharing Sands hug score Steinbrenner poses with manager Buck Showalter in Yankee owners first Day with team since suspension. There is always an invisible Calliope playing wherever George Steinbrenner roams. The biggest show on a Oft in tort Ella tall Tinaa a d1\ Fry Pla Earth Ioco the do face boy. Barnum a elephant jumbo. Huriy 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 would be interested in a Humble shipbuilder. All the journalists had to Wear special stickers that say the Boss is Back March 1, 1993. And from the Center of the swarm you could hear just enough to know the Boss was Back a it will be different the desire to win. Everybody should take two years off to see How things Are. If i had t been associated with the olympic team it would have been a Long two and a half years a this team can do anything it wants. I doubt that ill talk to them until tomorrow. This will teach them what it s 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. Their he recalled visiting. Barney Naglor the columnist from the daily racing form who was gravely ill. According to Steinbrenner Naglor was upset because Steinbrenner was banned from baseball and Naglor died soon afterwards. Then Steinbrenner suggested that his exile a might have hastened his demise i done to How we would have loved to hear Nat cry a version of i 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 a some Day the facts will come out Quot whatever that Means. It should be noted that Fay Vincent s Stern hand had not been stayed by any of Vincent s critics or Stcin Brenner a admirers among the owners they basically had let Steinbrenner hang by his thumbs. But now he 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 Yorac Titi Jackson slated to find out if he s read baseball Camps by the associated press is to ready he s about to find out. To Jackson will be a designated hitter for the Chicago White sox in wednesday s 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 15 to decide whether to exercise Jackson s 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 Quot manager Gene Lamout said. A the goes at it Good. The one thing i Admire is that when he goes out there he really goes at although Jackson a Speed now is considered to be average Lamont is curious to see How fast Jackson is out of the Batter s Box. Jackson still displays a slight Limp but it is nowhere near the hobbing Jackson displayed before leaving Spring training last year. A the question is if his hip does hold up How Good is he going to play Quot Lamont added. A one big part of his game is his Speed which won t 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 played Quot at Haines City Fla., the Kansas City royals said Pitcher Mike Boddicker will have arthroscopic surgery wednesday to repair torn meniscus cartilage in his left knee. Boddicker is to return to Spring Camp saturday Trainer Nick Swartz said he could be pitching again in two weeks. A this is the Best shape in be come to Spring training in since i was 22, and j 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 Quot Boddicker said. �?o1 can pitch on it like this. Just can to do anything else effectively. It s 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 is 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 weit to throw lightly in the meantime. Young had Felt soreness in his left leg and an examination 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 Sai Flancisco giants new ownership. A was soon As the club was purchased managing general partner Peter Mago wan told me he wanted me to be a giant for life Quot 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 coining to the Ballpark. 1 will be More involved. 1 have a lifetime contract Quot 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 Don t think 1 could manage Quot Mays said. A i could have managed the mets m 1975, but i said no. You have to be Here daily and like to move around. It can be a thankless Job. A will do whatever Dusty wants Down Here. Ill be involved in
