Pitch Meeting
IF A WOMAN were to reach the majors as a pitcher, it would almost certainly be as a knuckleballer. Instead a new show, Pitch (Fox, Thursday 9:00 p.m. ET/PT), offers up a screwball specialist who can touch 87 with her heater. Sigh. At least the woman charged with creating that suspension of disbelief has some athletic chops. Kylie Bunbury, who plays Padres starter Ginny Baker, is a 5' 8", 27-year-old whose father, Alex, is in the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame and whose brother Teal is a forward for MLS's New England Revolution. Although she played soccer and basketball and ran track in high school, she'd never suited up on a diamond before the show. To prepare, she spent 2½ months working with retired big league reliever Gregg Olson three or four times a week. And while Bunbury herself has never been clocked, she says, "I've got some zip." Since she got the role she has fallen for the game. She convinced several friends to buy mitts so they can play catch with her, shares clips of MLB games with Olson and fellow consultant C.J. Nitkowski and became a devotee of Bull Durham. "I may have some work to do," she says of the film, "but I'm sure I look more believable than Tim Robbins." Clearly, she has mastered the brushback.
+ SI'S TOP FIVE
SCREWBALLERS
5. Mike Cuellar
4. Tug McGraw
3. Fernando Valenzuela
2. Carl Hubbell
1. Christy Mathewson
SPORTS SITCOMS
5.Arli$$
4.The League
3.Sports Night
2.Coach
1.Cheers
THEY SAID IT
"IF YOU RUB YOUR NOSE AND THEN YOU BITE YOUR FINGERNAIL, THAT'S NOT EATING A BOOGER."
Jim Harbaugh
Michigan coach, responding to accusations that TV cameras caught him snacking during the Wolverines' 51--14 win over Central Florida on Sept. 10.
SIGN OF THE APOCALYPSE
English soccer club Mansfield Town canceled a promotion with a clairvoyant, citing "unforeseen circumstances."