NY Post- Steiner/Puckett

[Eric]

This is from today's Equal Time column written by Phil Mushnick

"KIRBY'S DEATH REVEALS WORST"

March 10, 2006 -- NO dignity, no shame. No shame, no dignity.
Postcards from Hades:

During his stand-up days, Woody Allen told of being kidnapped when he was a child. When his father learned what happened, "He sprang into action! He rented out my room."

Steiner Sports, the autograph/memorabilia firm that does exclusive work with the Yankees and Rangers, Monday sprang into such action.

A few hours after Kirby Puckett died, Steiner Sports e-mailed customers with word that with Puckett's passing, "The sports world has lost a great one," and Steiner Sports "still has five Batting Champ balls that have his signature." Only $800 apiece.

The missive further noted that Steiner Sports has Puckett's autograph on a ball with 15 Hall of Famers. Those balls go for $2,000 each.

With Puckett deceased only hours, one customer e-mailed back to express his disgust by such a sell.

The next day, a Steiner salesman responded: "You are 100 percent correct and I apologize." That Puckett come-on, he continued, was "on a timer and wasn't supposed to be sent out until this morning."

Yep, the sell wasn't supposed to commence on the night of Puckett's death, but the following morning.

(section of column removed which is outside the topic of this forum)

Kirby Puckett autographs! Get your Kirby Puckett autographs! Get 'em while he's hot!

[Eric]

I heard about this Mushnick column from hearing the Mike and the Mad Dog radio show on WFAN here in the New York area. The two of them could not believe what they were reading.

They found the story so inappropriate they were laughing. Mike pointed out "The body wasn't even cold yet." Mad Dog was screaming about Steiner asking $800 for an autograph of a man who just died.

[Swoboda4]

I'm surprised Fransesca and Russo mentioned Mushnick when talking about this story.

[BaseballGM]

This fine example of greed sickens me and the lack of sensitivity to Kirby's passing is unforgiveable. - Kevin