The decrease in interest and value of proposed book
deals for the Yankees' Hideki Irabu is "a parable of the
publishing world's fickle fancies," according to Stefan
Fatsis of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. Irabu's story was
originally figured by a N.Y. publisher to be worth $2.5M,
but offers were cut in half -- and then withdrawn --
following Irabu's poor pitching performances. In other book
news, Fatsis reports that Viking publishing may have
"trouble recouping" the $1M advance it paid for Cal Ripken
Jr.'s autobiography, "The Only Way I Know," and Bantam Books
reportedly paid $600,000 for Yankees Manager Joe Torre's
book, "Chasing The Dream," which has sold "around" 30,000
copies (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/31).
TOUGH CROWD: David Letterman's "Top Ten Ways To
Mispronounce The Name Hideki Irabu": 10) Hidooby Irooby; 9)
Hiccupping Caribou; 8) Pataki, I Love You; 7) Snoop Hideki
Deck; 6) Hideki Irabooted-down-to-the-minors; 5) Iraboutros-
Boutros Hideki; 4) You Rub Me, I'll Deck You; 3) Mike Tyson
Ear Chew; 2) You Don't Know Deki; and 1) 12 Million Dollar
Booboo ("Late Show," CBS, 7/30).
STRAIGHT JAB: Boxer Larry Holmes has signed with St.
Martin's Press/Thomas Dunne Books to write an autobiography
entitled "Against All Odds" (N.Y. POST, 7/31).
