The N.Y. City Council yesterday "approved a ban on smokeless tobacco at ticketed sporting events" by a vote of 44-3, which is "due to take effect immediately," according to Adam Rubin of ESPN N.Y. The law will apply to both the Mets at Citi Field and the Yankees at Yankee Stadium (ESPNNY.com, 3/22). In N.Y., Erin Durkin notes both the Yankees and Mets "support the law." Boston, S.F. and L.A. "have already banned chewing tobacco from their ballparks." Durkin writes MLB would "like to get the substance out of the game altogether, but hasn't reached a deal" with the MLBPA (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/23). Yankees P Andrew Miller said, "I don't foresee anybody protesting or picketing but from a philosophical standpoint I don't agree with it. These are the rules given to us and we have to follow them. It is what it is. ... Everything in moderation is something I believe in" (Newark STAR LEDGER, 3/23). Yankees manager Joe Girardi: "You deal with it. There's other laws people pass we have to follow, right?" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 3/23).
