Not a familiar ring

Canada was a difficult country to enter way before the high security environment of today. Most teams flew commercial airliners and everyone had to go past customs with no wink-wink passes to ballplayers or any members of the travelling party.

On the way out of town, Arthur Richman, the one-time Yankees advisor and former travelling secretary of the Mets, was stopped by an agent who wanted to know about an unusually large ring Richman was wearing. It appeared to be solid gold with an image that resembled a queen and the agent may have throught Richman was trying to leave the country without declaring it.

Enraged as only Richman could be, he said of the jewelry and the likeness, ``That’s my mother!’’ He also added some choice words.

The agent let Richman pass. Wonder if Yankee ringleader Derek Jeter has any problems.