In This Case, It Was Real Thing for Waddell

Some people are under the impression that the endorsement of products by athletes is a new phenomenon in advertising. Hardly. As evidence, in the book “The Glory of Their Times,” author Lawrence S. Ritter includes a Coca-Cola advertisement from a publication in 1906.

The advertisement proclaims: “A glass for you will cure that headache, run down and exhausted feeling. Brightens you up, refreshes and exhilerates (sic) you.”

There is a drawing of Philadelphia Athletics pitcher Rube Waddell who says: “More than once a bottle of your Coca-Cola has pulled me through a tight game. There is nothing better for pitchers in hot weather. I find Coca-Cola stimulating to both body and mind, and is the only beverage of the kind that does not leave an after effect. In every game I work, I keep a bottle or two on the bench for an emergency, and I can say that Coca-Cola has never yet failed me.”

Note: The cost of a bottle was 5 cents.

Trivia Time: Detroit’s Darrell Evans, with his 30th home run Monday, became the seventh man to hit 30 or more homers with three different clubs. He previously hit 41 at Atlanta and 30 at San Francisco. Name the other six players. (Answer below.)

Boston College Coach Jack Bicknell, on BYU, which plays host to UCLA Saturday: “Nobody has thrown like them--ever. They make a living throwing. They’re a fine team, and they’re going to make a lot of people stand up and take notice this season.”

Said Don Mattingly of the New York Yankees Sunday when told that his 108 runs batted in are only two short of his season total of 110 last year: “What does that mean? It means if I don’t drive in 130 runs next year, I’ll get booed at the Stadium.”

Chicago Bear Coach Mike Ditka wasn’t thrilled when William (The Refrigerator) Perry came to camp weighing 330 pounds, but Texas A&M; Coach Jackie Sherrill was delighted when Marshall Land reported at 339 pounds.

Reason: At Sacramento City College last year, Land weighed 385.

Said Sherrill of the offensive lineman: “It’s obvious that he did a lot of conditioning on his own this summer. He’s certainly going to help us.”

Bob Sudyk of the Hartford Courant has compiled a list of cliches by coaches, followed by what they really mean in parentheses. Some excerpts:

--”We’re gonna surprise a lot of people this season.” (“Especially the guys who bet on us.”)

--”This team won’t beat itself.” (“The opposition will do it for us.”)

--”All I know is the fans are still behind us.” (“Unfortunately, they’re gaining rapidly.”)

--”There isn’t a selfish bone in Jiggs’ body.” (“He’s as spineless as a snake.”)

--”Nobody has a lock on a job on this team.” (“Especially me.”)

The last one recalls the classic line by Duffy Daugherty when he was at Michigan State. Asked one year who he was most happy to see returning, he said, “Me.”

Trivia Answer: Dick Allen, Bobby Bonds, Rocky Colavito, Reggie Jackson, Dave Kingman and Frank Robinson.

Note: Kingman, who did it with the New York Mets, Chicago Cubs and Oakland A’s, almost did it with four clubs. He had 29 with the San Francisco Giants. Jackson, who did it with the Oakland A’s, New York Yankees and Angels, had 27 with the Baltimore Orioles.

Quotebook

Rams’ Coach John Robinson, asked Monday why he was being so mysterious in not announcing the names of four players placed on waivers: “I want to be like Al Davis.”