Las Vegas Won’t Be Outdone

Thursday is the 41th anniversary of D-Day. The Allied forces invaded Normandy on June 6, 1944.

Thursday is also the day Michael Spinks fights Jim (Diamond Jim) McDonald at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas.

Leave it to promoter Don King to find a way to combine the two.

King has invited 2,000 Marines from Twentynine Palms, El Toro and Camp Pendleton to be his guests at the fight. He’s also thrown in 200 additional complimentary tickets for wives who want to come along. And he’s arranged for Burger King to feed them 4,000 Whoppers and for Pepsi to supply fresh fruit and the beverage.

“They’ll come over in a 43-vehicle convoy,” King said, “It’ll be an invasion of Las Vegas.”

Trivia time: What major leaguers have hit more than 500 home runs and stolen more than 200 bases? (see below)

John DuBois, 70, picked eight consecutive winners at Hollywood Park in the track’s Sunday handicapping contest, netting himself $100,000, and putting him one race--and one winner--away from a million dollars.

DuBois stood in the winner’s circle for the ninth race, watching his would-be million-dollar baby, 7-5 choice Massera, rally from dead last and finish three-quarters of a length behind the winner, Poly Test.

DuBois, who has kept records of morning workout patterns and race results for 35 years, has a couple of suggestions for other amateur handicappers.

“Look for neck tension in a horse,” he said. “And don’t bother with all those tip sheets.”

Asked by a reporter if he bets anything besides thoroughbred race horses, DuBois laughed. “No way,” he said. “I have enough trouble with these darn things.”

From Hubert Mizell of the St. Petersburg Times: “David Letterman, commenting on pro bowler and ABC commentator Nelson Burton, said: ‘They call him Mr. Class and Mr. Style. In bowling, that means he carries a comb in his back pocket and bathes regularly.’ ”

Trivia Answer: Hank Aaron (755, 240), Wille Mays (660, 338), Frank Robinson (586, 204), and Reggie Jackson (510, 224).

Quotebook

Laker owner Jerry Buss, after hearing that the Celtics were complaining about the 2-3-2 format of the NBA Championship Series: “I’m glad they’re looking for excuses.”