Morning Briefing : Ashburn Has a Friend in Real Need

Former National League batting champion Rich Ashburn, a columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News, told of a letter he received from a Californian by the name of Ronald Paul Ennis, no relation to former Phillies teammate Del Ennis.

The letter said: “Have a court appearance for car theft in Inglewood. Pray I get probation or a light sentence. Good luck to you and your family.

“People say we bear a resemblance to each other. I used to use your name as an alias in ’59 and ‘60, and believe me, old buddy, I’ve had some good times at your expense. They used to love you in California.”

There was a postscript: “I could use a character witness.”

Stop the presses!: From the Associated Press: “NEW ORLEANS--Long-awaited meetings between prospective New Orleans Saints buyer Tom Benson, Gov. Edwin Edwards and Mayor Ernest Morial produced a statement Friday that the millionaire auto dealer would have nothing to say until he has something to say.”

From The Sporting News: “Pacific Sportswear of Seattle has introduced the ‘Bob Uecker Weekend Jock’ line of clothing--golf shirts, warmups and other sports attire--with the national advertising theme, ‘Activewear for the semi-serious athlete.’ Appropriately, the logo for Uecker sportswear is an athletic supporter.”

Stuart Gray of the Indiana Pacers, on being applauded when introduced: “I had forgotten how good it feels to hear cheers. When I was at UCLA, I was used to hearing obscenities.”

St. John’s Coach Lou Carnesecca, on the fact that the No. 1 Redmen have been trailing at halftime eight times this season: “We ought to warm up in the dressing room, like fighters do. We ought to play a little three-on-three or five-on-five in the auxiliary gym and then come out and play.”

Thanks-but-no-thanks dept.: Not long ago, Al McGuire suggested that basketball coaches would be more properly dressed for their jobs if they wore jogging suits, rather than business suits.

Well, Iowa Coach George Raveling tried it, and the Hawkeyes haven’t won since. They’ve lost three in a row since he appeared in an Iowa sweatsuit for last week’s game against Michigan.

Yes, Walt Hazzard feels pressure, but nothing like the kind he experienced when he was coaching at Compton College and Chapman College.

“I had to teach several classes a day and worry about my players getting enough to eat,” he told Gary Libman. “There were two backboards, and if a rim broke, many times I had to replace it with my own money.

“We drove to all our games. Once, I had to stop a van and charge the battery every 20 minutes during a trip home. Two weeks before I got this job, I was in a motel in Bakersfield with roaches and bedbugs the night before a game.”

John Madden told Dick Young of the New York Post: “There is no way the 49ers will repeat. Winning takes away your hunger, and hunger cannot be manufactured.”

Boston center Robert Parish, on Philadelphia forward Charles Barkley: “All that talk about his weight is bull. When he leans on you, it’s like being crushed by a trash compactor.”

Quotebook

Brigham Young football Coach LaVell Edwards, asked whether he preferred speed or quickness in his receivers: “We’d like them to have both, but if they did, they’d be at USC.”