Defiant Schott Gets Smoking on Campaign

Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott, a smokers’ rights advocate, has launched a campaign to make smoking legal again in the city’s Riverfront Stadium. Schott has disobeyed the city’s no-smoking ordinance by smoking in her seat.

The city has scheduled a hearing for her appeal.

All major league stadiums but one--New York’s Shea Stadium--have smoking restrictions.

Schott says the Riverfront smoking law is a reason the first-place Reds are having an attendance decline this season.

Meanwhile, it was announced that Schott has been chosen grand marshal of the Ohio Tobacco Festival’s Aug. 26 parade in Ripley, Ohio.

Trivia time: Name the only major league pitcher whose strikeouts and age, in one game, were the same?

Big bang theory: Author John Feinstein, who wrote “Hard Courts,” a book about professional tennis, after spending a year on the circuit, has an idea on how to improve the sport.

Said Feinstein: “Put all the people involved in tennis in one room, and then blow up the room.”

For what it’s worth: When Joe Carter hit his 300th home run the other day, he became the 65th major leaguer to do so.

Media boycott?From John Steigerwald, in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, before the recent ceremonies at Cooperstown, N.Y.: “(Steve) Carlton will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame this weekend. It would be fitting if the media walked out during his acceptance speech.

“The more you hear what Steve has been saying lately, the more you realize how fortunate America was that he refused to speak to the media all those years.”

Instant star: Triple-A Vancouver Manager Don Long, who joined the Angel coaching staff for a week, was excited when he heard a fan recognize him.

Long acknowledged him and started to walk over to autograph a baseball, when the kid holding it yelled:

“Could you go get Bo Jackson’s autograph for me?”

Said Long: “I should have known.”

Babe seminar: Hofstra University, which has held numerous symposiums on U.S. presidents, is organizing one for Babe Ruth.

Ruth’s life will be the focus of a history conference next April, celebrating the 100th year since his birth. Hundreds of historians, journalists and baseball experts are expected to attend.

Fare deal: Fred Perry, the 1934, ’35 and ’36 Wimbledon champion, was honored on his 85th birthday during the recent Wimbledon tournament.

Said Perry, after receiving awards and accolades: “If there is anything I can do to help the game anywhere in the world, I am happy to do so . . . provided you pay the fare.”

Trivia answer: Bob Feller, 18, when he struck out 18 Detroit Tigers on Oct. 2, 1938.

Quotebook: Don Larsen, asked if he ever tires of talking about his 1956 World Series perfect game: “No, why should I?”