Gary Sheffield: Free My Verse

by James Finn Garner

 

I called it years ago.

What I called is

that you’re going to see

more

black faces, but there ain’t no English

going to be

coming out. …

[It’s about]

being able to tell

[Latin players]

what to do —

being able to

control

them.

 

You might get a guy to do it that way

for a while

because he wants to benefit,

but in the end, he is going to go back

to being

who he is.

And that’s

a person that

you’re going to talk to

with respect,

you’re going to talk to

like a man.

 

These are the things my race demands.

 

So, if you’re equally good as this Latin player,

guess who’s going to get sent home?

I know a lot of players

that are home now

can outplay

a lot of these guys.

 

From an interview in GQ Magazine, June 2007

Song for Detroit

by Stu Shea

I.


Is there anyone Tiger fans are fonder than

Than Jeremy Bonderman?

 

Can any Bengal take the ball to left field

Better than Sheffield?

 

And who’s their best hitter? Everyone says

It’s Mags Ordonez.

 

Is any pitcher more likely to zoom the ball by ya

Than Joel Zumaya?

 

II.

 

But can anyone’s batting average make fans cringe

More than Brandon Inge?