Now Taking the Field: Genesis and Psalms

Sunday, April 30, 2006

Samson may be best known as the strongman of the Old Testament, and he likely was tougher than any linebacker. But he's now the inspiration of the Birmingham Steeldogs arena football team, which has taken up Biblical-themed uniforms in an attempt to satisfy fans in the Bible Belt.

The Steeldogs have jerseys with the name Samson on the front and the name of a book of the Bible on the back, such as Genesis or James. The player's number refers to a chapter and verse. The idea is meant to please the fans that the team draws from area churches for its "Faith Nights."

"We're in Birmingham, Alabama," said Scott Myers, managing partner of the team. "In our market, we thought this would be a fun, interesting thing to do."

The idea has already experienced one setback: League rules require that the players' names appear on their jerseys. So while the team originally intended to wear the jerseys during games, players will now wear them only during pre-game and post-game festivities.

"In our excitement to do this, we got a little ahead of ourselves," Myers said.

-- Peter Whoriskey

Forget Billboards -- Just Name the Road

First Comiskey Park, home of the Chicago White Sox, became U.S. Cellular Field. Now naming rights for another Chicago landmark are on the auction block, as the city is offering corporations the chance to put their moniker on the Chicago Skyway toll road, which connects to the Indiana Toll Road.

The city is expecting to garner about $3 million a year from the deal, which could last as long as 20 years, according to a city Office of Budget and Management spokeswoman, Lisa Schrader. The city reserved the right to lease the name when it leased the Skyway itself to an Australian-Spanish conglomerate last year.

Unlike with Comiskey Park, the Skyway name will be incorporated into the new tag.

"It will be the X Corporation Chicago Skyway," said Schrader, who said the naming deal should be complete by fall.

"We believe there'll be great interest in this," Schrader said. "Eighteen million vehicles travel over this each year; there's more than 100 signs on highways and neighborhoods throughout the city that would bear this corporation's name. And it will provide millions in revenue for Chicago's taxpayers."

-- Kari Lydersen

Constable in Middle of $2 Million Mix-Up

It's not often that a man gets to endorse a $2 million check, especially if he's on a government salary.

"I had a doctor's appointment," recalled Collin County Constable Jerry Kunkle, who is based out of McKinney, just north of Dallas. "One of my sergeants calls. 'Boss,' he says, 'we got a check here for $1,921,000.' "

Thinking quickly, Kunkle told the officer, "Go put it in my personal account, and I won't be in tomorrow."

But instead of retiring a fugitive, Kunkle alerted the state Comptroller's Office.

The check, which was made out to Collin County, was inadvertently addressed to Kunkle. The funds came from a state loan program that helps counties reduce energy costs. A state employee asked him to endorse the check and forward it to the proper authorities.

Deputy Comptroller Billy Hamilton attributed the mix-up to a transcription error on the mail code attached to the check.

When local reporters asked if he thought about keeping the money, Kunkle said, he told them, "Well, no, but here's my road map," indicating an atlas on his desk. "I was trying to find the quickest route out of McKinney."

-- Matthew C. Wright

In Philly, the Human Body Proves Popular

Turns out we really like looking at, well, us. "Body Worlds: The Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies" is a celebration of the human body -- in the form of plastic-wrapped cadavers.

So many people wanted to see the show in Philadelphia that the Franklin Institute kept the exhibit open for 66 straight hours in its final days, and about 30,000 people made it through. More than 600,000 people viewed "Body Worlds" during its nearly seven-month run, eclipsing the turnout for the institute's recent Titanic exhibit and a Cezanne show at the nearby Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Donated bodies are put through "plastination," a process that preserves the internal organs, muscles and fibers. Each figure is displayed in a pose to highlight different anatomical features. One piece displays the muscular configuration of a human mounted on a plastinated horse.

The exhibit "resonates strongly with the people of Philadelphia," Dennis M. Wint, president of the Franklin Institute, told the Philadelphia Inquirer, noting that the city is home to research hospitals, medical schools and pharmaceutical companies.

-- Michelle García