Cheerleaders the size of manatees wanted

By Times Staff Writer
Published February 24, 2008

MIAMI

The Florida Marlins are looking for some footloose fat men.

Tryouts are being held for an all-male, plus-sized cheerleading squad to be dubbed the Manatees.

The team hopes to recruit seven to 10 men of epic proportions to dance, cheer and of course jiggle, during Friday and Saturday home games this season.

Real manatees are best known for their large dimensions and inability to move out of the way of boat propellers.

The Marlins want their Manatees to have the same dimensions, but be decidedly more agile. Men will be judged on how well they dance a choreographed routine.

Men who are selected won't be paid. They'll get tickets to games they perform at, and the honor of dancing in front of crowds.

Associated Press

TAMPA

Passenger dies when car hits palm tree 

One person was killed after a car veered across a median and crashed into a palm tree on Dale Mabry Highway early Saturday. According to Tampa police, a driver and two passengers were traveling south "at a high rate of speed" near Cayuga Street at 5:24 a.m. The driver lost control of the 2000 silver Honda Accord, crossing over the median and hitting a palm tree before stopping on the other side of the median. The front-seat passenger, whose name has not been released, died instantly, police said. The driver and other passenger were taken to St. Joseph's Hospital with injuries that weren't life-threatening. Detectives are investigating whether the accident involved a hit and run.

Correction

The malfunctioning Elmo Knows My Name doll described in a story on Saturday also says "It's time to eat" in addition to saying "Kill James."

[Last modified February 23, 2008, 23:46:27]