Principal fouls out

MILWAUKEE - John Schlavensky, a grade school principal from suburban Milwaukee, thought he would take advantage of a Kid's Day promotion Monday afternoon by bringing some of his students to Miller Park for a baseball game.

The last thing Schlavensky expected was to become a focal point of the outcome.

Schlavensky caught a fly ball hit by Pirates second baseman Pat Meares in the fourth inning. The ball initially was ruled a home run, then was reversed and called foul.

The play, which occurred with the Pirates trailing by a run, was a turning point in their 11-8 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Schlavensky, the principal at St. John's Envangelical Lutheran in Fox Lake, Wis., was seated in the first row of the left-field seats. Although he was situated a few seats to the right of the foul pole, Schlavensky ran to the foul pole. From his knees, he leaned forward and stuck his hands over the railing.

The ball hit Schlavensky in the hands, bounced to his left and rolled across a cement ledge before another fan retrieved it.

'It was foul,' Schlavensky said. 'I was on this (foul) side of the yellow line when it hit me.'

Schlavensky paid a price for his attempt. Not only didn't he get the ball, his hands were sore and he bruised his knee on the concrete.

'I got my hands on it, I just couldn't bring it in,' Schlavensky said.

Neither could the Pirates.