A Way, a Way, a Way Down Sour in Dixie

Tuesday night at the Dixie Youth Baseball World Series for 11- and 12-year-olds in Lakeland, Fla., Winter Haven led Virginia, 7-1, going into the sixth and final inning. Nice cushion, except for one problem.

John Chichetto, who had yet to bat, was on deck when Winter Haven made the final out in the bottom of the fifth. League rules state that all players on each roster must bat at least once. Violators must forfeit.

So in the top of the sixth, Winter Haven Manager Terry Greear instructed pitcher Matt Sheffield to intentionally walk every Virginia batter so they could tie the score.

The Virginia manager eventually caught on and instructed his batters to swing at everything . . . but not before three runs scored, narrowing Winter Haven’s margin of defeat to 7-4.

Add forfeit: A league official told the Associated Press that this type of forfeit happens a number of times during the regular season, but that it was the first time it has happened in a World Series game.

Said Dixie Youth Commissioner Gale Montgomery: “It’s a shame that it had to happen. I don’t like it. It’s a bad situation. But what you’ve seen happen occurred strictly according to the rules.”

Trivia time: On this day in 1954, Sports Illustrated published its first issue. Name the three men pictured on the cover.

Bicoastal guy: Dodger announcer Don Drysdale, opening the radio broadcast of Tuesday’s doubleheader against the New York Mets at Shea Stadium: “It’s a beautiful day here in the Big A.”

Nap time: The artificial playing surface at Washington State’s Martin Stadium, once notoriously rock-hard, recently was replaced with a softer carpet.

Cougar trainer Mark Smaha is elated. Last year, Smaha resorted to transporting dirt to a soggy practice field to avoid having to use the stadium surface, which he blamed for numerous injuries.

Smaha told Bart Wright of the Tacoma Morning News Tribune: “It got to the point where in the last month or so of the season, the players would ask, ‘Where are we playing today, cement or mud?’ ”

Attempted piracy: According to the History of American League Baseball, in 1950, the Pittsburgh Pirates offered the New York Yankees $500,000 and National League home run champion Ralph Kiner for Mickey Mantle, who had yet to play a major league game.

Tragic memory: On this day in 1920, Cleveland Indian shortstop Ray Chapman was hit in the head with a pitch by New York’s Carl Mays. Chapman suffered a fractured skull and died the next day--the only on-field fatality in major league history.

Don’t get him wrong: Kansas City Royal pitcher Andy McGaffigan was traded by the Montreal Expos to San Francisco earlier this year, then was released by the Giants on April 30.

Tuesday, McGaffigan pitched six shutout innings in the Royals’ 1-0 victory over the Texas Rangers. As a starter, he has pitched 29 innings and given up four earned runs. His overall earned-run average is 1.60.

McGaffigan told Craig Horst of the Associated Press: “I’ve said all along I thought the Giants acted prematurely. Historically, I have been a second-half player. I’m not saying na-na-na-na-na at the Giants, but it’s a matter of fact that I was going to come around. I knew I would come around.”

Trivia answer: Left to right: Milwaukee Brave third baseman Eddie Mathews swinging, Wes Westrum of the New York Giants catching and umpire Augie Donatelli behind the plate.

Quotebook: Denver Bronco Coach Dan Reeves, recovering from surgery for blocked arteries: “I don’t feel like my job has anything to do with it and neither do the doctors. Although, none of us know that for sure.”