Baseball fan fights for right to potty

The New York Yankees freely exploit the liberty to sign free-agent players but might not be as eager to bestow freedom upon fans.

Among the most vaunted liberties for Americans are the right of self expression and -- at times an even loftier one -- the right to take a potty break during a seventh-inning stretch.

In a lawsuit filed Wednesday against the Yankees, a baseball fan says he was ejected from the old Yankee Stadium on Aug. 26 for leaving his seat to use the bathroom while "God Bless America" played.

Following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Major League Baseball required all teams to play "God Bless America" during the seventh-inning stretch. The requirement ended the next season, but the Yankees continued playing the song at every home game.

The lawsuit by Bradford Campeau-Laurion claims New York City, the police officers and the Yankees made him a victim of political and religious discrimination. The suit says two police officers who ejected him were enforcing a Yankees policy that keeps spectators in their seats during the song.

Campeau-Laurion said his clash with police began when he decided to use the bathroom at the start of the seventh-inning stretch. He got up and made his way down the aisle as the song began playing.

One officer blocked his path and told him he couldn't leave during the song, the lawsuit alleges. Campeau-Laurion explained that he needed to use the restroom and was not concerned about "God Bless America." Then he attempted to walk past the officer.

Before Campeau-Laurion could take a step, the officer grabbed his right arm and twisted it behind his back, the lawsuit claimed.

A second officer twisted Campeau-Laurion's left arm behind his back, and the two officers marched him down several ramps to the stadium's exit with his arms pinned behind his back.

The suit claims one of the officers told him to leave the country if he didn't like it.

• UFC: CHILD'S PLAY -- One combatant in the Ultimate Fighting Championship main event Saturday in Montreal could end up looking like a vegetable.

The featured mixed martial arts bout in UFC 97 is between middleweight champion Anderson Silva and Thales Leites.

Tomas Rios of Sherdog.com clearly favors Silva, writing: "Do not, however, expect a victory for Leites, who will make the mistake of trying to get Silva down from the clinch and end up with a face that looks like a Mr. Potato Head put together by a 3-year-old."

• WITHDRAWAL -- The home arena of the Boston Bruins and Boston Celtics is adopting a shorter name. TD Banknorth Garden will become the TD Garden starting in July.

The arena has been troubled by perceptions of its name since opening in 1995.

Some assumed the original name of FleetCenter referred to the company that makes enemas instead of the one that provides financial services.

And in today's economy, who wants to have "Bank" included in any name.

COMPILED BY JEFF WOLF LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL