BRIDGEWATER, N.J. — A lengthy line slowly moved forward. Sparky Lyle, ever patient, autographed yet another photo.
Lyle was at Fan Fest, a baseball season kickoff for the minor-league Somerset Patriots, and the man with the photo told Lyle a familiar story: He had collected more than 400 signatures on a petition urging the Yankees to finally honor their former star reliever and to do it on the 40th anniversary of the 1977 championship and Lyle’s remarkable Cy Young season.
Lyle, 72, was polite and thanked the man, but he later explained that he wanted no part of such a celebration, or a plaque.