[CNNSI] Biggio told to remove Sunshine Kids pin

[Austin70]

He has been wearing it for as long as I can remember, and now the league tells him to stop? Idiots. LINK (sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/baseball/mlb/specials/spring_training/2007/03/22/biggio.angry.ap/index.html )

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) -- Craig Biggio was angry at the commissioner's office Thursday night after he was told to stop wearing a pin on his cap that bears the logo of a foundation that helps children with cancer.

The Houston Astros star said he has worn the bright yellow, sun-shaped pin, featuring the logo for the Sunshine Kids foundation, on his hat during spring training games for the past 20 years without a problem. He is the national spokesman for the foundation and is very active in its work.

"I'm not a disrespectful person and I don't disrespect the game," Biggio said. "But I've been wearing this pin for 20 years because it puts smiles on 20,000-something cancer patients' faces."

Biggio said someone in the commissioner's office contacted the Astros about instructing him to remove the pin, but he wasn't sure who it was. He said Houston general manager Tim Purpura was sent a fax with a picture of Biggio from Wednesday night's game.

Purpura declined to comment on the matter, as did a spokesman for Major League Baseball.

"Major League Baseball does a lot of good things, but this is one of the stupid things," Biggio said.

His comments came after he left Houston's 16-2 loss to the Washington Nationals on Thursday night.

The 41-year-old second baseman, who is 70 hits shy of 3,000, said he wears the pin in spring training because many of the pictures for baseball cards are taken during those games and the children like seeing the pin on those cards.

"That's what it's about," he said. "If somebody wants to sit in an office and feel good about themselves, they should feel real bad about this one. They didn't think about all the cancer kids that get enjoyment out of it."

Biggio said he was told before the game that he couldn't wear the pin, and the umpires approached him on the field to make sure it was gone.

Astros manager Phil Garner was also unsure who contacted the team about the pin.

"The league has a code where they watch what's on the uniforms and I don't know the full extent of it, but evidently the Sunshine Kids pin is not part of it," he said.

As for the game, Astros starter Chris Sampson, vying for the fifth spot in the rotation, allowed 12 hits and 10 runs in 2 1/3 innings. He gave up a home run in the first to Jesus Flores.

Ryan Church had three hits, including a home run, and five RBIs to lead the Nationals. Washington starter Jerome Williams allowed two runs and two hits in five innings.

"This was probably one of the best times I've thrown all spring," he said. "I got the ball down, working breaking balls and getting people out like I'm supposed to do. I felt real confident on the mound."

Williams was also happy with his hitting. The career .110 hitter had three hits and scored twice. Notes: Astros 3B Morgan Ensberg was replaced in the third inning after being hit once by a pitch and another time by a batted ball. Garner said Ensberg was bruised but OK.

[IROC it]

Stupid league... if anything they should require the whole team or all teams to wear it.

[texanskan]

yeah I saw this, pretty stupid and classless of MLB.

Biggio is a class guy and that logo should be on his cap as he is a real role model

[A-Train]

Damn, I've never heard Biggio say something this controversial.

Seriously, what can MLB do? Suspend him for Spring Training games?

Here's an idea...Biggio should write on his bat in black magic marker, "Major League Baseball hates kids with cancer". The BAT isn't part of his uniform, after all...

[Surfguy]

If anything, then they should make Biggio replace his batting helmet with a new helmet. That helmet has to go. Biggio looks like a bum at the plate. Or, at least paint the damn thing. :mad: ;)

[tinman]

yeah I saw this, pretty stupid and classless of MLB.

Biggio is a class guy and that logo should be on his cap as he is a real role model

what MLB classless?
how's that possible? they only let players do ROIDS!
they love ROIDS! ROIDS gives them homeruns, kids with cancer dont!

[Austin70]

I bet you it was Tony Gwynn, he never liked Biggio, damn hater.

[MadMax]

legalistic crap.

[macalu]

wait, so he only wears it during ST? wat da fuk iz da problem?

[Joshfast]

wait, so he only wears it during ST? wat da fuk iz da problem?

The MLB like to follow certain rules to the T.

[oomp]

The MLB like to follow certain rules to the T.

Well it certainly is a very clean league, full of do-gooders and stand up guys.

[texanskan]

what MLB classless?
how's that possible? they only let players do ROIDS!
they love ROIDS! ROIDS gives them homeruns, kids with cancer dont!

Well of course, steroids helped revive a dying sport nobody cared about not helping kids with cancer.

Biggio needs to wear it and Drayton needs to pay the fine and we will see what wins out in the court of public opinion.

F-You Selig and your bs

Let's see taking care of an out of control drug problem, not too important

Making the face of a wonderfull organization take a pin off his hat during a meaningless spring training game, priority number 1

[steddinotayto]

I find it funny that they are righteous about a harmless pin and yet they turned the other cheek when Horse-steroid-juiced ballplayers were breaking records at an alarming rate.

I hope the Astros organization makes a special helmet for Biggio that has his batting helmet ENTIRELY painted to look like the Sunshine Kids logo.

[Enron]

I guess the commissioners of the NBA, MLB, and NFL are having a contest to see who can be the biggest prick

[Joe Joe]

The Astros should just make it part of their spring training uniform for the entire team.

[weslinder]

what MLB classless?
how's that possible? they only let players do ROIDS!
they love ROIDS! ROIDS gives them homeruns, kids with cancer dont!

Roids give kids with cancer a chance to catch homerun balls. Bonds and McGwired did it for the children.

[1Bowler]

If anything, then they should make Biggio replace his batting helmet with a new helmet. That helmet has to go. Biggio looks like a bum at the plate. Or, at least paint the damn thing. :mad: ;)
Have you never heard that baseball players are very superstitious.

[Surfguy]

Have you never heard that baseball players are very superstitious.

Hence, the mad face followed by the winky face. I know very well how superstitious Biggio is. I find it ridiculous. Maybe it's actually working against him and he doesn't know. A new paint job could mean a whole new, better hitter and he could keep the helmet.

[Buck Turgidson]

I find it ridiculous.
Why do you care?

[Surfguy]

Why do you care?

Actually, I can find something ridiculous and not really care about it. What is with you people today?

[Buck Turgidson]

Actually, I can find something ridiculous and not really care about it. What is with you people today?
I was just curious.

What exactly do you find ridiculous? Superstitious baseball players? Pine tar? Kids with cancer? What, dammit, what? ;)

[Surfguy]

I was just curious.

What exactly do you find ridiculous? Superstitious baseball players? Pine tar? Kids with cancer? What, dammit, what? ;)

In particular, it's really just Biggio's superstitious fascination with wearing the same crusty old paint chipped helmet for years on end. I mean...if he changes his helmets, then is he really going to forget how to hit? Is his knee going to collapse on a swing and end his playing career? What dammit? It doesn't look good on him nor on TV for those watching it. Primarily, I'm sick of seeing it. :D

[Buck Turgidson]

In particular, it's really just Biggio's superstitious fascination with wearing the same crusty old paint chipped helmet for years on end. I mean...if he changes his helmets, then is he really going to forget how to hit? Is his knee going to collapse on a swing and end his playing career? What dammit? It doesn't look good on him nor on TV for those watching it. Primarily, I'm sick of seeing it. :D
It's not paint-chipped, it's covered in pine tar. He likes pine tar.

You'll see him, about 3-4 times per AB, touch the top of his helmet, like he's adjusting it. He's just getting a little extra sticky on his gloves.

You're not allowed to have an excess of pine tar on your bat or any part of your uniform, including batting gloves. It's his little hidden-in-plain-sight way of circumventing the pine tar on uniform rules.

On the subject of superstitious ballplayers:

"If you believe you're playing well because you're getting laid, or because you're not getting laid, or because you wear women's underwear, then you ARE! And you should know that." -- Crash Davis

[updawg]

whats really crazy is that he has these numbers engraved in the pine tar on his helmet - 4 8 15 16 23 42 :eek:

[Groogrux]

whats really crazy is that he has these numbers engraved in the pine tar on his helmet - 4 8 15 16 23 42 :eek:

Awesome!

[Austin70]

Great article on Biggio from Page 2 writer Paul Lukas. link (sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=lukas/070323)

Is there anything sadder than a kid with cancer? How about a league that cracks down on someone who tries to help kids with cancer?

Uni Watch

That was the situation that unfolded around Craig Biggio on Thursday. For most of his 20-year career, Biggio has been involved with the Sunshine Kids, a nonprofit group that helps cancer-stricken youth. He's raised more than $1.8 million for the group through his annual golf tournament, and he's always shown his support and raised awareness by wearing a pin of the group's sun-shaped logo on his cap during pregame warm-ups and in spring training games. OK, so it looks a little weird, but big deal -- he's never done it in a regular-season game, he's never covered up the Astros logo and he's never gotten a dime for it.

And now he won't be doing it at all, because some pathetic little MLB functionary decreed Thursday that Biggio must remove the pin. You've gotta hand it to MLB: It takes a very special brand of chutzpah to tell a future Hall of Famer to stop supporting cancer patients. Forget about players on steroids -- the real problem, apparently, is kids on chemo. And that's just the beginning of MLB's cluelessness here. According to this account, "a league official, having watched the Astros-Devil Rays game on the local Houston Fox Southwest feed, sent word to Kissimmee that [Biggio] must remove [the pin]. A picture from that game was faxed to the Astros, who informed [Biggio] of the league's request." Whoa, TV and faxes -- they sure caught him red-handed! Apparently the miscreant who employed these high-tech investigative tools was unaware that Biggio had already been wearing the pin on his cap for nearly 20 years.

It might also interest the league office to learn that Biggio is hardly the first MLB figure to wear a pin on his cap. Back when Billy Martin was managing the Yankees, he wore a cross pin, a habit he continued when he moved on to the A's. Martin's protégé Bucky Dent did the same thing when he managed the Yankees, and has also worn it during his coaching stints with the Rangers, Cardinals and Reds.

Stick pins have also shown up in other spots on MLB uniforms. On Opening Day last year, Manny Ramirez wore a little pin right between the "Red" and "Sox" on his jersey, which upon closer inspection turned out to be a little angel swinging a bat. And during Game 3 of the 1974 World Series, Reggie Jackson wore an A's World Series press pin on his waistband (additional info on that is available here).

Nobody from MLB faxed any cease-and-desist letters to Martin, Dent, Ramirez or Jackson -- only Biggio. Was the MLB brain trust worried that he was defiling those new batting practice caps that everyone hates? Was it worried that he was cheapening the value of a crucial spring training game? Was it worried that he was sullying the sanctity of the sport? Remember, this is the same league that was going to sell Spider-Man ads on the bases until public outcry led it to beat a hasty retreat. You can expect plenty of outcry on this one too -- don't be surprised to see that pin back on Biggio's cap by next week.

[redefined]

This is the same league that wanted to put SpiderMan logo on the bases DURING THE REGULAR SEASON!

Unbelievable considering it's only ST! Why not make them the entire team wear their proper uniforms instead of these practice jerseys?

[scv_rockets]

First, they make us close the roof during the World Series and now they won't allow Biggio to wear his Sunshine Kids pin? Ridiculous.

To be honest, I'm pretty shocked that MLB is making this move. This is the same league that is contributes a TON to the Breast Cancer Foundation during Mother's Day.

[weslinder]

First, they make us close the roof during the World Series and now they won't allow Biggio to wear his Sunshine Kids pin? Ridiculous.

They made the Astros open the roof in the World Series.

[Buck Turgidson]

This is the same league that wanted to put SpiderMan logo on the bases DURING THE REGULAR SEASON!
Exactly. Universal or whoever the hell makes those movies pays a hell of a lot better than a bunch of advocates for cancer-stricken children.

As I said yesterday in a stroke of premonition:

Never underestimate MLB's ability to create bad pub & engender ill-will amongst it's fanbase.

[SwoLy-D]

This saddens me. :(

I want to follow A-Train's advice... EVERYONE who buys tickets should wear T-Shirts that say something like: "TRY TO TAKE THIS PIN away, MLB"... and... contains something obscene...?

Scratch that. :mad: Just write to the MLB.

[scv_rockets]

They made the Astros open the roof in the World Series.
Whoa, that was a typo. I meant to type open. Thanks for catching that.

[Major Malcontent]

MLB did Pink Bats for breast cancer on Mothers Day.

Sounds like someone in the league office has too much time on their hands.

[EddieWasSnubbed]

The Astros and Biggio should give out Astros caps with Sushine Kids pins on them as an opening day promotion.

It would be great to see 40,000 people wearing an Astros hat with the pin on it, in support of one of the classiest guys the league has ever seen, and in support of their team.

[redgoose]

I'll tell you guys the real reason they had him remove the pin.

MLB is extremely jealous that many kids with cancer can get legit prescriptions for certain steroids and some even HGH. Some need it to help them keep or add some weight.

But when all the MLB doctors prescribe steroids they get busted!

If i we're Biggio, i'd keep wearing it. Like it's been said, what are they gonna do? Suspend him from spring training? A 20 year veteran really needs those games to help him get better and earn a spot on the roster.

If they fine him, the Astros should match the fine with a donation to his cancer foundation. If they wanna keep at it, The Astros should donate 1,000 seats next to eachother for the kids and let them make their own signs for what they have to say to MLB. I guarantee MLB would love that media attention!

And Tim Purpura or someone in the organization really needs to step up and publicly defend Biggio on this one.

[arkoe]

The Astros and Biggio should give out Astros caps with Sushine Kids pins on them as an opening day promotion.

It would be great to see 40,000 people wearing an Astros hat with the pin on it, in support of one of the classiest guys the league has ever seen, and in support of their team.

That would be an awesome. You should email the idea to them.

[EddieWasSnubbed]

That would be an awesome. You should email the idea to them.
Dear Mr. Lucas,

I'm not sure who to send this to, but I ad an idea. I was outraged at the MLB's recent decision to disallow Craig Biggio to wear his Sunshine Kids pin during Spring Training. I know there is not much we, as fans, or even you, as a team can do, but I thought of an idea:

Wouldn't it be cool to do a special emergency promotion to honor Mr. Biggio, his classiness, and all of the Sunshine Kids? I don't know if this is impossible or not, but I think it would be one of the greatest honors we could give to a player such as Craig Biggio if we could have 40,000 fans wearing Astros caps complete with Sunshine Kids pins on opening day.

Once again, I realize this is a monumental task at this stage and if not impossible, it is next to it. I just could not think of a better way to stand behind one of the classiest guys in recent history of the game.

I don't know if you're the right person for me to contact regarding this issue. If you are not, I please ask that this email be forwarded to whomever it may concern.


Thanks for your time


--------

I just sent that to one of the first email addresses I found on their site. I know it's not worded or written very well, but it's one in the morning right now. :o

[JeopardE]

Well ain't that awesome. A league that for decades could not be bothered to enforce an effective drug policy but has no problem cracking down on supporters of the fight against cancer. The entire league is one giant freaking soap opera.

One more reason why I feel so apathetic about baseball these days. I really just can't bring myself to care about it anymore.

[rrj_gamz]

This is ghey...Way to go MLB...

[Phil]

Great article on Biggio from Page 2 writer Paul Lukas. link (sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=lukas/070323)

Is there anything sadder than a kid with cancer? How about a league that cracks down on someone who tries to help kids with cancer?



Great response article. MLB needs to rectify this before they get any more bad publicity...they have enough as is. I don't understand how they allow such idiots to have this kind of power...I really love baseball, but the MLB seems to find ways to make it a little less enjoyable and respectable at times.

[redgoose]

I saw that article te other day as well. It's nice to see ESPN posting it because it will get more attention than a column in our local ppaper.

I'd love to hear Jim Rome go off on this subject for hours, via his radio show!

Anyone know if he already has yet? I'm sure he'd love that story. So would Dan Patrick with Olberman at his side. :cool: