Second Thoughts

MLB blocks a 'wild' pitch in Cleveland

Actor Charlie Sheen, who played Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn, a Cleveland Indians relief pitcher in the movie Major
League, offered to throw out the first pitch before Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday night. Major League
Baseball instead elected to have former franchise greats throw out the first pitch in Cleveland.
Actor Charlie Sheen, who played Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn, a Cleveland Indians relief pitcher in the movie Major League, offered to throw out the first pitch before Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday night. Major League Baseball instead elected to have former franchise greats throw out the first pitch in Cleveland.

Wild Thing will have to stay in the bullpen during the World Series.

While actor Charlie Sheen, who played Ricky "Wild Thing" Vaughn in the movie Major League, offered to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before one of this year's World Series games, Major League Baseball said the choices already have been made.

A spokesman said Friday that MLB has worked with the Indians to identify "former franchise greats" to throw out the first pitch for the games in Cleveland.

The Indians host Games 1 and 2 on Tuesday and Wednesday. If necessary, Cleveland will host Games 6 and 7 on Nov. 1-2.

Sheen posted a photo of himself as Vaughn in his Indians uniform on Twitter and wrote, "Major League continues to be the gift that keeps on giving! if called upon, I'd be honored."

Released in 1989, Major League is a fictional account of the Indians finishing in first place with an unconventional group of players including Vaughn, who struggled to find the strike zone and warmed up to "Wild Thing," a No. 1 hit song in 1966 by The Troggs.

Kicker has a 'ph'

Seattle Seahawks kicker Steven Hauschka is fairly well-known by NFL fans. One of the NFL's best, hitting 87 percent of his career field-goal attempts, Hauschka has kicked in 106 regular-season games and appeared in two Super Bowls.

It turns out his name has been misspelled this entire time, and he never bothered to get it fixed.

Hauschka appeared recently on a "Why Not Me Pets'' segment on KCPQ-TV in Seattle. In most situations, reporters will ask people to spell their names, but that usually doesn't apply when talking to someone famous. It's not difficult to look up Hauschka's name, but the KCPQ cameraman did ask, and Hauschka told him: "S-T-E-P-H-E-N."

Yep. Steven Hauschka is actually Stephen Hauschka.

Hauschka told Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times that it dated back to when he enrolled at North Carolina State in 2007 for his final college season, after spending the first part of his college career at Division III Middlebury (Vt.) College. N.C. State misspelled his first name. Hauschka didn't want to make a scene.

"I never really said anything about it,'' Stephen, not Steven, Hauschka said. "I was like the third kicker on the roster, the fourth kicker, when I started out. So I didn't want to say anything. I didn't want to be a pain.''

Stephen is still what it says on his driver's license. Hauschka said he actually told the Seahawks last year but they didn't change it in any of their materials, which is fine. He'll keep going by Steven.

"It's my stage name," Hauschka told Condotta. "Leave it that way."

Cubs on Murray's mind

Actor and Chicago Cubs superfan Bill Murray won't be in Wrigley Field this weekend as the Cubs look to reach their first World Series since 1945. He has a good excuse: He's in Washington, D.C., to accept the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center.

However, Murray still has the Cubs on his mind and on his sleeve while in Washington. Wearing full Cubs gear, Murray crashed a White House press briefing Friday, answering questions about the Cubs' chances against the Los Angeles Dodgers in today's Game 6.

Murray later met with President Barack Obama, who didn't say what they discussed but did tell USA Today, "He was wearing a Cubs jacket -- which for a White Sox fan is a little troubling."

Sports on 10/22/2016

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