They Still Tell Stories on Goring

When the Boston Bruins claimed veteran center Butch Goring, who had been waived Tuesday by the New York Islanders, it sort of signaled the end of an era for the Islanders. It was the acquisition of Goring, 35, from the Kings late in the 1979-80 season that helped boost the Islanders to their first of four National Hockey League championships. The last two seasons, Goring had served as assistant coach as well as a fourth-line center. The Bruins had to pay only $100 to pluck Goring from the waiver list. New York writers, however, must be left with legendary stories of Goring’s, um, lack of fastidiousness.

On one trip, while he was still with the Kings, Goring spilled spaghetti sauce on his white turtleneck sweater. His teammates bet on whether Goring would get it cleaned. When Goring came to the lobby the next day, wearing the same sweater, there was no sign of a stain. That is, there was no sign of it until he turned around. Goring was wearing the sweater with the back to the front. His King teammates used to call him Seed, as in seedy. City Hall in San Francisco has resembled a restaurant recently, thanks to some shrewd bets placed by Mayor Dianne Feinstein on the 49ers with her counterparts in New York and Chicago. Now, with the 49ers set to meet the Miami Dolphins in the Super Bowl, Feinstein has been on the phone with Miami Mayor Maurice Ferre. “For Miami, we’re going to have to make a special bet,” Feinstein said. “I think we’ll offer an original cable car bell.” And what would she like from Miami? “Maybe a Dolphin--one with fins, or feet.” Did I say that?: Heavyweight boxing champion Larry Holmes, who has steadfastly maintained that he would never, under any circumstances, grant Gerry Cooney a rematch, now says that a rematch may be possible--if the price is right. Holmes claims he will retire after his March 15 fight against David Bey at Las Vegas. But . . . “If they come up with a lot of money to fight Gerry Cooney, I’ll fight again,” he said. How about a little three-on-three? Tougaloo College, a school of about 650 students in Tougaloo, Miss., was forced to cancel the final 20 games of its basketball schedule because nine players were found to be academically ineligible. “That left us with only three players,” Coach Jerry Lewis said. “I saw it coming the last grading period. I did my best to turn them around, and they attempted to do that. They just didn’t try hard enough.” Life in the big leagues: Kay Dalton, former offensive coordinator for the Houston Oilers, is still wondering why he was fired by head coach Hugh Campbell.

“I’m disappointed and discouraged because I think it was unfair and unjustified,” Dalton said. “He (Campbell) told me that I would probably wake up this morning and feel relieved. Well, I don’t feel relieved. I feel like I failed.

“I was here only two years, but it seemed like an eternity,” Dalton, 52, continued. “If firing me will help the Houston Oilers, I’m all for it. I’m not that selfish, but I don’t think it will.”

Said Campbell: “I felt Kay Dalton was in a very difficult position as far as being able to go about his work effectively. It’s always very difficult to do something like this, but to me, the decision made sense.” Oh.

The Oilers finished 3-13, ranking 27th in the NFL in scoring and 23rd in total offense. Maybe this had something to do with Dalton’s problems: In his two seasons, he worked under three head coaches, with four starting quarterbacks and three starting centers.

Said Dalton: “I’m a professional football coach and good one. I will find another job.” Quotebook Guard World B. Free of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who recently celebrated his 31st birthday: “Don’t say I turned 31. Just say I’m celebrating the second anniversary of my 29th birthday.”