But He’d Better Not Throw a Pass Her Way

Joe Montana is in for a surprise, and it’s not an unpleasant one.

At the Starlight Foundation’s fund-raiser in Century City, a number of prizes were auctioned off, including “a day with Joe Montana and a one-night stay at the Amfac Hotel in San Francisco.”

The winning bid, according to Army Archerd of Variety, was $2,000. The bidder was Elizabeth Taylor.

From Wayne Cooper of the Denver Nuggets: “I’ve played for some good coaches and I learned a lot from them. But I had my best season at the University of New Orleans under Butch van Breda Kolff--and we had one play.”

Add Butch: He’s now back coaching at Lafayette, where his influence has been felt by women’s coach Pat Fisher.

Said Fisher, who had been hit with only one technical foul in 22 previous years of coaching but already has collected four this season: “Maybe having an office next door to Butch is rubbing off. He’s never happy with officials. My opinion of them this season hasn’t been very high, either.”

Said Ray Mancini of his fight against Livingstone Bramble: “I thought the fight was a good way to finish.”

Does that mean he’s retired?

“I can’t say that right now,” he said. “I’m not sore like I usually am after a fight. I partied until 4 in the morning after the fight because I was so pumped up.”

Bob Uecker told the New York Times he will do a TV series based on the movie, “Mr. Belvidere,” which starred Clifton Webb.

“If the series doesn’t work out, I think I’ll go to Japan and try to get a job as a catcher. They don’t know about me over there.”

Uecker’s lifetime average was .200.

How-times-have-changed dept.: In 1947, infielder Johnny Pesky of the Boston Red Sox hit .324 with 206 hits and 106 runs scored. In 1984, infielder Wade Boggs of the Red Sox hit .325 with 203 hits and 109 runs scored.

According to Todd Phipers of the Denver Post, Pesky took a $2,000 pay cut the next season--more than 10% of his 1947 salary.

Boggs, a winner in arbitration last week, will earn $1 million this year.

Patrick Reusse of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, reporting on a Boston-Chicago NBA game, said: “In the course of the evening, Kevin McHale of the Celtics and Steve Johnson of the Bulls were allowed by the officials to engage in a variety of pushes, shoves and hammerlocks that could have passed for Nick Bockwinkel vs. Jesse the Body.”

Said McHale: “That’s the type of officiating I like--except when we’re playing Philadelphia. If they let everything go when you’re playing against Moses Malone, he’s unstoppable.”

Coach Doug Moe said he was happy with his new contract with the Denver Nuggets, but he admitted that there’s one possible drawback.

“Now, the players know I’ll be around for another three years,” he said. “That’s enough to depress anybody.”

Quotebook

Marge Schott, promising an exciting season for the Cincinnati Reds with Pete Rose as player-manager and her as owner: “Our motto this year is ‘Hustle and Bustle.’ ”