Gibson Can’t Quite Make a Clean Getaway

In his new book “Bottom of the Ninth,” Kirk Gibson expresses regret over his rude behavior as a major leaguer.

In a later interview, Gibson said: “There’s so much to do. There’s not enough time. You know what? I love life. I woke up today at 6:05. I could have closed my eyes and gone back to sleep, but I just snapped out of bed.

“I haven’t had a shower in four days because I didn’t have time.”

Please make time, Kirk.

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Trivia time: Who are the only switch-hitters who have hit 100 home runs in the National and American leagues?

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PR-minded: Ron Borges of the Boston Globe reports that Pete Carroll, the new coach of the New England Patriots, will keep regular season practices closed to the media, except for a portion “when nothing gets done but jumping jacks.”

“Carroll told one local scribe his reasoning for pulling down the blinds: ‘Because I don’t want you here.’ ”

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Pitching clones: In a recent Houston Astro-Florida Marlin game, the starting pitchers were Shane Reynolds and Pat Rapp.

“Think of the promotional possibilities,” Florida’s Jeff Conine told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “On Reynolds-Rapp night, the first 25,000 fans get free tin foil.”

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Perils of Bourbon Street: When told the New York Mets are playing two exhibition games in New Orleans next season, Manager Bobby Valentine said: “That’s great. We’ll take 29 players and let the muggers make our final cuts.”

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Simon says: Tom Watson on the tips he has received during a prolonged putting slump: “It runs the gamut of close your left eye, close your right eye, close both eyes, turn sideways and putt backward.

“I always write them a thank-you note and say, ‘I’ll give it a try.’ I have. I’m no fool.”

Looking back: On this day in 1935, the first major league night game was played at Cincinnati’s Crosley Field. The Reds defeated Philadelphia, 2-1.

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Trivia answer: Eddie Murray, Reggie Smith and Chili Davis.

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And finally: Colorado Rocky outfielder Dante Bichette writing about his mother in his weekly column for the Denver Post:

“My mom is 6-foot, 240 pounds and she’s not fat. She’s the strongest woman physically I’ve ever seen in my life.

“We used to kid my friends and tell them she was a wrestler in the Navy. They believed us.”