Pre-season pandemonium

Men's Fitness, March, 2004

Before baseball season begins, players report to spring training. They spend their days honing their skills, but their nights are spent testing authorities. Here are a few of the best stories.

Stolen Moments

In Tampa, during the 2002 spring season, Yankee Ruben Rivera was cut by George Steinbrenner after it was discovered he'd stolen a bat and glove from Derek Jeter's locker and sold them for $2,500.

Wife Swapping

What a trade! New York Yankee pitchers Mike Kekich and Fritz Peterson had shared many good times, but in the '70s, they took it to extra innings. It was revealed that during New York's 1973 spring training, Mike had moved in with Marilyn (Peterson's wife) and Fritz had moved in with Susanne (Kekich's usual catcher).

Bazooka Dough

After a spring-training game in 2002, Minnesota's Jason Gabbert saw dollar signs when Diamondback Luis Gonzalez spit out his gum. Gabbert adroitly grabbed the ABC gum, and after it was proved the gum had actually been in Gonzalez's mouth, the saliva-drenched sugar was sold for $10,000 at auction.

Back Strains

The legendary Wade Boggs, during his BoSox career, suffered a spring-training injury--while putting on his cowboy boots. Then, in a separate incident, Boggs was once again forced onto the bench when his leg was run over by the car his very own wife was driving.