'Seinfeld' tribute

GEORGE STEINBRENNER had just one cameo on "Seinfeld" but "appeared" in a bunch of episodes.

Tonight through Friday, TBS will pay tribute to the Yankees owner - who died last week at age 80 - by airing 10 "Seinfeld" episodes that "include" Steinbrenner.

In all but the one appearance, actor Lee Bear portrayed Steinbrenner, although Bear's face was never shown. Larry David, the show's co-creator, provided Steinbrenner's voice.

The Steinbrenner plots revolve around "Seinfeld" character George Costanza (actor Jason Alexander), who worked for the Yankees.

Tonight at 7:30, TBS will air "The Opposite," an episode in which Costanza gets hired by the Yanks. Friday's concluding episode is "The Muffin Tops," in which Steinbrenner trades George for new chicken concessions at Yankee Stadium.

In between are eight other shows, including our favorite, "The Caddy," in which Steinbrenner, mistakenly thinking Costanza has died, goes to break the news to George's parents (Jerry Stiller and Estelle Harris). The parents are sitting on their couch visibly shaken when George's father looks up at Steinbrenner and yells: "What the hell did you trade Jay Buhner for? He had 30 home runs and over 100 RBI last year!"

Their cup runneth over

 

When Blackhawks trainer Mike Gapski got his day with the Stanley Cup last month, he knew exactly where to take it: Incarnation Catholic Church in Palos Heights, Ill., a Chicago suburb.

Gapski, his wife and four children attend mass there, and he wanted to share it with his parish family.

"Hockey put my kids through school," Gapski told the Catholic New World, the newspaper for the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Gapski allowed people to take a photo with the trophy for a $5 donation. In all, more than $3,000 was raised for the parish.

- Tom Mahon

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