Imagine if you found the World Series ring of your arch rival.
What would you do with it? Would you keep it because it's such as valuable piece of jewelry? Would you try to sell it and profit from it?
Imagine the shock that Luigi Militello, the owner of Luke's Bar and Grill, a Manhattan, New York restaurant, must have felt when he saw a 2013 Boston Red Sox world series ring in a restroom sink Thursday night.
The ring was legitimate, with diamonds, sapphires and rubies set in 14-carat white gold with the Red Sox emblem and an image of the team's bearded players.
"I was like, 'Geez, it's big. Who would leave this here?' " Militello told the Associated Press. "I'm a big Yankee fan. What are the chances of his happening?"
The ring belonged to Drew Weber, the owner of the Lowell (Mass.) Spinners, the Red Sox's Class A affiliate. Weber dined at the restaurant and it was the first time he wore the ring in public.
"I went looking around my apartment and started having palpitations. Sweat was pouring off my forehead," Weber told the AP. "I'm looking at my finger and it's not there."
Feeling desperate, Weber called Luke's after midnight. Militello answered the phone and told him he had the ring.
Militello said he wasn't looking for any money for the ring, but given the nature of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry, he wanted to make Weber's life difficult. For example, Militello tried to get Weber to call into a local sports radio show and disparage the Red Sox, but Weber wasn't going to do it.
Militello and Weber met the following day at Luke's with Militello returning the ring and both sides talking baseball for 25 minutes.
Weber and the Red Sox have invited Militello to Fenway Park for the regular-season finale on Sept. 28 against the Yankees.
"Going for Derek Jeter's final send-off, that's pretty great," Militello said.
When asked if Militello was going to wear Yankee apparel to the game, Weber said, "I couldn't answer for him."
Weber is making a contribution to a charity Militello chose that helps relief efforts for Superstorm Sandy damage on Fire Island.
The lesson in all of this?
"That ring is going on no more road trips," Weber said.
Wanting out?
With the Colorado Rockies at 43-61 and in last place in the National League West, it's understandable why Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki might want out.
The Rockies gave out 15,000 replica jerseys at a game Saturday night against Pittsburgh with his name mispelled. On Sunday, Tulowitzki, who is on the disabled list with a hip flexor strain, was seen sitting in the infield box seats at Yankee Stadium watching the New York Yankees play the Toronto Blue Jays.
Tulowitzki told the Denver Post on Sunday that he made the trip up from Philadelphia, where he met with Dr. William C. Meyers to assess his injury, to see Derek Jeter play.
Given that Tulowitzki has dropped hints about wanting out, this is Jeter's last year, he has seven years left on a contract that owes him $129 million, and the Yankees willingness to spend money, maybe New York is the next destination for Tulowitzki.
Still, it seems odd for an active player to attend a game in which his team is not playing.
Sports quiz
Who leads the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry this year?
Answer
The Yankees lead 6-4.
Sports on 07/29/2014