KQ2
04-14-2008, 08:07 PM
http://multimedia.heraldinteractive.com/images/0cf8dfa56a_yankme.jpg
This worker at the new Yankee Stadium looks pretty serious about finding David Ortiz’ jersey buried there.
An unlikely Messiah of Red Sox (http://news.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/red_sox/index.bg) [team stats (http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&page=mlb/teams/028/teamstats.aspx?team=028)] Nation is scoffing at reports the Yankees (http://news.bostonherald.com/search/?topic=Yankees) may pursue criminal charges against him for cementing a David Ortiz (http://news.bostonherald.com/search/?topic=David+Ortiz) [stats (http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&page=mlb/teams/028/players.aspx?id=3405,pos=DH,team=028)] jersey he “cursed” into their new $1.3 billion stadium.
“It’s typical Yankees,” said Bronx-born Local 780 cement mason Gino Castignoli.
“It’s not like I snuck in there. It didn’t do any structural damage. I didn’t put anyone in harm’s way,” Castignoli, 46, told the Herald from New York yesterday.
Hardhats spent five hours Saturday rooting in concrete near the third-base line of the nearly complete Major League mecca with jackhammers in search of the voodooed V-neck. The Big Papi pullover was removed yesterday.
“The idea to unearth the jersey came largely from the workers on the site of the new stadium,” said Yankees spokesman Jason Zillo. “They take great pride in their work and the integrity of the project.
“They felt strongly - as did the organization - that something should be done to right a wrong,” Zillo said.
Yankees Chief Operating Officer Lonn Trost told Associated Press the team has discussed possible criminal charges against Castignoli with the district attorney’s office.
“We will take appropriate action since fortunately we do know the name of the individual,” Trost said.
Castignoli planted the shirt in 2 feet of concrete last year, damning the Bronx Bombers to be barren of another World Series championship for the next 30 years.
“If they spent as much time looking for Jimmy Hoffa as they did this T-shirt, they probably would have found him a long time ago,” Boston defense attorney Jeffrey Denner said of the slain labor leader long rumored to be buried in New York Giants Stadium.
After 85 years, the “House That Ruth Built” is being replaced by construction on the house Castignoli, a married father of two, frightened one of the greatest dynasties in sports history into grinding to a halt over superstition.
But who’d have thought a native New Yorker would be the one to give the Sox the shirt off his back?
“He’s a child that if he believes in something he sticks with it. He always did. That’s his nature,” Lucy Castignoli, a Yankees fan, said of her rogue son.
Yanks diehard Anthony Chiodi, 41, who grew up in the Bronx with Castignoli and has learned to live with his unflappable allegiance to Boston, vowed he’ll “jump ship,” too, if George Steinbrenner hauls his pal into court.
“They’ve been saying for a week there’s no such thing as a hex. If it didn’t mean anything, why’d they dig it up?” asked Chiodi. “He’s (Castignoli) going to be a hero in Boston.”
Castignoli lost his heart to the Sox in 1975 when, as a kid, he idolized power slugger Jim Rice.
He said his union had been after him to work on the new stadium, scheduled to open next season, but, “I would not go near Yankee Stadium, not for all the hot dogs in the world,” Castignoli said.
Finally, Castignoli relented. His deliciously devious plan in place - and No. 34’s jersey on his back - he worked the site for exactly one day and no more.
“It was worth it,” he said.
Denner, who is not involved in the dispute, said it’s possible the Yankees (http://news.bostonherald.com/search/?topic=Yankees) could go after Castignoli for breach of contract, but he wouldn’t advise it.
“I think the Yankees are a bad joke to begin with and shouldn’t make themselves look worse,” he said.
Sox spokesman John Blake declined to comment on the Yanks’ nerves of noodles except to say that if the team makes good on its promise to donate the shirt to the Boston Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s Jimmy Fund, “If some good can come from this, it’s a real plus.”
Said Castignoli, “They should have left (the shirt) in there. They’ll probably use the money to pay off A-Rod’s contract.”
http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/general/view.bg?articleid=1086966&srvc=home&position=3
This worker at the new Yankee Stadium looks pretty serious about finding David Ortiz’ jersey buried there.
An unlikely Messiah of Red Sox (http://news.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/red_sox/index.bg) [team stats (http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&page=mlb/teams/028/teamstats.aspx?team=028)] Nation is scoffing at reports the Yankees (http://news.bostonherald.com/search/?topic=Yankees) may pursue criminal charges against him for cementing a David Ortiz (http://news.bostonherald.com/search/?topic=David+Ortiz) [stats (http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&page=mlb/teams/028/players.aspx?id=3405,pos=DH,team=028)] jersey he “cursed” into their new $1.3 billion stadium.
“It’s typical Yankees,” said Bronx-born Local 780 cement mason Gino Castignoli.
“It’s not like I snuck in there. It didn’t do any structural damage. I didn’t put anyone in harm’s way,” Castignoli, 46, told the Herald from New York yesterday.
Hardhats spent five hours Saturday rooting in concrete near the third-base line of the nearly complete Major League mecca with jackhammers in search of the voodooed V-neck. The Big Papi pullover was removed yesterday.
“The idea to unearth the jersey came largely from the workers on the site of the new stadium,” said Yankees spokesman Jason Zillo. “They take great pride in their work and the integrity of the project.
“They felt strongly - as did the organization - that something should be done to right a wrong,” Zillo said.
Yankees Chief Operating Officer Lonn Trost told Associated Press the team has discussed possible criminal charges against Castignoli with the district attorney’s office.
“We will take appropriate action since fortunately we do know the name of the individual,” Trost said.
Castignoli planted the shirt in 2 feet of concrete last year, damning the Bronx Bombers to be barren of another World Series championship for the next 30 years.
“If they spent as much time looking for Jimmy Hoffa as they did this T-shirt, they probably would have found him a long time ago,” Boston defense attorney Jeffrey Denner said of the slain labor leader long rumored to be buried in New York Giants Stadium.
After 85 years, the “House That Ruth Built” is being replaced by construction on the house Castignoli, a married father of two, frightened one of the greatest dynasties in sports history into grinding to a halt over superstition.
But who’d have thought a native New Yorker would be the one to give the Sox the shirt off his back?
“He’s a child that if he believes in something he sticks with it. He always did. That’s his nature,” Lucy Castignoli, a Yankees fan, said of her rogue son.
Yanks diehard Anthony Chiodi, 41, who grew up in the Bronx with Castignoli and has learned to live with his unflappable allegiance to Boston, vowed he’ll “jump ship,” too, if George Steinbrenner hauls his pal into court.
“They’ve been saying for a week there’s no such thing as a hex. If it didn’t mean anything, why’d they dig it up?” asked Chiodi. “He’s (Castignoli) going to be a hero in Boston.”
Castignoli lost his heart to the Sox in 1975 when, as a kid, he idolized power slugger Jim Rice.
He said his union had been after him to work on the new stadium, scheduled to open next season, but, “I would not go near Yankee Stadium, not for all the hot dogs in the world,” Castignoli said.
Finally, Castignoli relented. His deliciously devious plan in place - and No. 34’s jersey on his back - he worked the site for exactly one day and no more.
“It was worth it,” he said.
Denner, who is not involved in the dispute, said it’s possible the Yankees (http://news.bostonherald.com/search/?topic=Yankees) could go after Castignoli for breach of contract, but he wouldn’t advise it.
“I think the Yankees are a bad joke to begin with and shouldn’t make themselves look worse,” he said.
Sox spokesman John Blake declined to comment on the Yanks’ nerves of noodles except to say that if the team makes good on its promise to donate the shirt to the Boston Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s Jimmy Fund, “If some good can come from this, it’s a real plus.”
Said Castignoli, “They should have left (the shirt) in there. They’ll probably use the money to pay off A-Rod’s contract.”
http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/general/view.bg?articleid=1086966&srvc=home&position=3