CHICAGO STORIES: The Cubs will continue to use guest
conductors to lead the Wrigley Field crowds in singing "Take
Me Out To The Ball Game" during the seventh-inning stretch
this season (DAILY SOUTHTOWN, 1/27)....The White Sox will
start airing new TV spots featuring their young players with
the slogan, "The Kids Can Play" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 1/28).
ROCKET'S LIFTOFF: In Palm Beach, Dan Mann reported that
merchandisers did "everything possible" to get Pavel Bure
merchandise and apparel into Miami Arena for his home debut
last night against the Canadiens. Merchandisers were able
to get 80 replica Bure jerseys at $199 and 20 authentic ones
at $324 (PALM BEACH POST, 1/27). A sellout crowd of 19,250
turned out for the Canadiens-Panthers game (THE DAILY).
PAY THE MAN: In Toronto, Blue Jays fan Michael
Davidson, who was ejected from the SkyDome during a Jays
game in '95, has been awarded C$210,054 in damages after a
civil court found that Toronto police and the team's Dir of
Security used excessive force (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 1/28).
OTHER NOTES: In St. Paul, George Dohrmann examines the
role of agents in the game under the header, "Timberwolves
Made Wary Of Agents." Dohrmann writes that the team "came
to a conclusion" that they lost Tom Gugliotta to the Suns
because his agent, Richard Howell, "drove [him] away" (ST.
PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 1/28)....In N.Y., Selena Roberts reports
that Knicks newly acquired G Latrell Sprewell "received a
standing ovation" from the MSG crowd after his 27-point
performance last night against the Nets. Patrick Ewing's
treatment from the crowd was "relatively mild," with "few
hecklers" (N.Y. TIMES, 1/28). In NJ, Steve Adamek calls
Sprewell's first game "a smash," as his introduction drew "a
genuine roar" from the MSG crowd of 19,763 (Bergen RECORD,
1/28)....Bulls Owner Jerry Reinsdorf is interviewed in the
CHICAGO TRIBUNE where he talks of the retirement of Michael
Jordan. Reinsdorf said, "Michael never said anything to me
other than, 'I'm done playing. This is it'" (CHICAGO
TRIBUNE, 1/28)....The Nuggets drew 7,500 fans for the team's
first intrasquad scrimmage Wednesday night (Colorado Springs
GAZETTE, 1/28)....In DC, White House officials said that
Orioles Owner Peter Angelos "is seeking high-level White
House help to salvage a plan for exhibition games in March
between his club and a Cuban all-star team" (SUN, 1/28).
