Against considerable odds….Larry King…has managed to make the sports sections of both Manhattan tabloids…on the same day!

Pt. 1 From the New York Daily News’ John Harper :

It was an odd setting from which to hatch a playoff run, but if the Mets have the October they’re hoping for, they might remember it as starting here at an empty Shea Stadium on the day Larry King’s wife nearly became the first victim of Pedro Martinez’s comeback.

Odd, indeed. Here was Pedro, at 10:15 in the morning, throwing to hitters for the first time since going on the disabled list on Aug.15. Screens had been set up behind both the mound and the plate so that Mets brass could get an up-close look.

Some 30 feet behind the home-plate screen, meanwhile, TV host King and assorted friends milled about as King’s wife, Shawn (above, left), rehearsed singing the national anthem. Pedro, just happy to be on the mound again, didn’t seem to notice all the activity back there.

But then Lastings Milledge fouled a Pedro fastball straight back that whistled just over Shawn King’s head, and suddenly everyone seemed to realize the temporary screen behind the plate wasn’t quite high enough to ensure safety.

Example 2, from the New York Post’s Phil Mushnick :

CNN seemed mighty proud that its “Larry King Live” Thursday had Andre Agassi for his first one-on-one since his farewell match in the U.S. Open.

But King, who fancies himself a sports insider, was so lost, the session became an embarrassment. At one point, King asked, “Is Steffi [Graf,Agassi’s wife] going to keep on playing?”

Agassi looked stunned. “No,” he responded, “she hasn’t played in seven years.”