FOR SPORTS FREAKS, IT’S TIME FOR INSTANT REPLAYS

Many of the fathers of our country are scheduled to receive sports videocassettes for Father’s Day, which, in case you’ve forgotten, is this Sunday.

For football-oriented fathers who also happen to the San Francisco 49er fans, NFL Films Video has “Super Bowl XIX Highlights” ($34.95), 23 minutes of highlights of the 49ers’ victory over Miami, and the 46-minute “San Francisco 49ers 1984 Team Highlights” ($39.95). If father isn’t a 49er fan, he might like a collection of 1984 highlights of such teams as the Los Angeles Rams, Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins. For $39.95 each.

Host Donald Sutherland takes you on a tour of the baseball Hall of Fame in “Baseball’s Hall of Fame,” which includes footage of immortals like Babe Ruth and Willie Mays.

No pennant is complete without a highlight film, so the Cubs made “Cubs Win!,” which runs 48 minutes and sells for $29.95. But there’s a hitch. It’s available via mail order only.

Here’s one that won’t be available for Father’s Day but will be on sale before Christmas. “Gameplan: The Language and Strategy of Pro Football,” hosted by Washington Redskins’ back John Riggins, is on the new Sportvideo label.

POP MUSIC CASSETTES: This month’s big one, of course, will be “We Are the World--the Video,” documenting the making of the all-star “We Are the World” single, which benefits starving Africans. Due out next week on MusicVision, it’s expected to be a big seller. The relatively inexpensive price tag, $14.95, will help. The MusicVision schedule also includes “John Waite--No Brakes Live,” a concert recorded in a Philadelphia theater by the pop-rock singer who gave us “Missing You.”

The first-rate 1980 documentary by Penelope Spheeris about the L.A. punk scene, “The Decline of Western Civilization,” shot at clubs like the Hong Kong Cafe and Club 88, is available on cassette (Media, $49.95). It’s the best filmed record of local punk action in those days.

Stewart Copeland, the drummer for the Police, is the subject of “The Rhythmist,” due early next month (A&M;, $29.95). He composed and performed most of the music for the musical odyssey through Africa.

NEW AND COMING: Burt Reynolds’ action film, “Stick,” was a recent box office disappointment. A few experts are predicting that it will do better as a videocassette. It will be in the stores in August, for $79.95 on MCA. . . . Another recent--and very topical--movie, “The Falcon and the Snowman,” will be out on cassette early next month (Vestron, $79.95). This true-life drama about spies stars Tim Hutton and Sean Penn.

Next week Vestron will release the Matt Dillon movie, “The Flamingo Kid,” ($79.95) and “The Shmenges: the Last Polka,” featuring John Candy and Eugene Levy as the comical bandleaders.

OFFBEAT HOW-TO VIDEOS: For those who want to cook along with Craig, a two-hour videocassette will be released in early October, “Craig Claiborne’s New York Times Cookbook.” The food editor demonstrates the fine art of making gourmet dishes like cheese souffle with curried shrimp.

This isn’t just another exercise video featuring a sports figure. “Bubba Until It Hurts” is close-captioned for those with impaired hearing. The ex-athlete leading the exercise is giant Bubba Smith. He’s looking out for the hearing-impaired because he’s a consultant to the Committee for the Hearing-Impaired.

SNIPPETS: Globetrotters would be interested in a VCR introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Chicago. It’s the Image Translator, which plays not only American VHS cassettes, but foreign ones, recorded in different electronic systems, such as PAL, which is dominant in Western Europe. This one hooks up directly to any American TV without any modifications of the set. Made by Instant Replay, it costs $795.

According to a Gallup survey made last year, the average home-video fan rents tapes about six times a month. Since renting has become so inexpensive and convenient, the average home- video fan, the survey concludes, is renting tapes more often and less frequently taping TV shows for delayed viewing.

CHARTS: In four weeks “The Karate Kid” charged to the top of the Billboard magazine rental chart, unseating the long-reigning champ, “The Terminator.” Though it remained at No. 4, “Dune” is still hot too. It’s a solid challenger for the top spot. And don’t forget the Chuck Norris action drama, “Missing in Action,” which vaulted nine spots to No. 5. It’s also a candidate for No. 1.

Oscar-winning “Places in the Heart,” which should be a popular rental, debuted at No. 12 and most likely will be high in the Top 10 next week. Other debuts: The Willie Nelson-Kris Kristofferson country music film, “Songwriter” (No. 27), the Robert De Niro/Meryl Streep melodrama, “Falling in Love” (No. 33) and “Choose Me,” featuring Lesley Ann Warren and Keith Carradine (No. 38).

In its 162nd week, “Jane Fonda’s Workout” is back on top of the Billboard magazine sales chart. . . . “First Blood,” which introduced Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo to the screen in 1982, is back on the chart. Apparently, some fans love “Rambo II” so much they’re buying the original. . . . Trekkies will be stocking their video libraries with “The Menagerie,” a 1966 “Star Trek” episode, which debuted at No. 31.

TOP VIDEOCASSETTES, RENTALS

1. “The Karate Kid” (RCA/Columbia).

2. “The Terminator” (Thorn/EMI).

3. “The Cotton Club” (Embassy).

4. “Dune” (MCA).

5. “Missing in Action” (MGM/UA).

6. “City Heat” (Warner).

7. “Teachers” (CBS/Fox).

8. “Body Double” (RCA/Columbia).

9. “Revenge of the Nerds” (CBS-Fox).

10. “Bachelor Party” (CBS-Fox).

TOP VIDEOCASSETTES, SALES

1. “Jane Fonda’s Workout” (Karl).

2. “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock” (Paramount).

3. “Prime Time” (Karl).

4. “Gone With the Wind” (MGM/UA).

5. “The Karate Kid” (RCA/Columbia).

6. “The Terminator” (Thorn/EMI).

7. “Wham! The Video” (CBS-Fox).

8. “Purple Rain” (Warner Bros.).

9. “Lionel Richie All Night Long” (MusicVision ).

10. “The Jane Fonda Workout Challenge,” (Karl).