Irv Cross Shows He Can Still Cover His Man

Irv Cross, the old defensive back, has lost a step or two but is still demonstrating the ability to provide coverage on an assignment.

Commissioned by CBS-TV to do a feature on Norman Braman, new owner of the Philadelphia Eagles, Cross ran into a roadblock when he tried to interview quarterback Ron Jaworski. The Eagles, possibly fearing that Braman’s tight-fisted fiscal policies would be spotlighted, had ordered their players not to talk to Cross.

No problem. Cross merely called Jaworski on the quarterback’s Friday night radio call-in show in Philadelphia. When Jaworski answered, Cross interviewed him on the air.

Local-boys-make-good dept.: Anyone notice that Wednesday’s big hitters at Dodger Stadium both were Southland products? Ozzie Smith went to Locke High and Jack Clark to Gladstone High in Covina. Of course, the MVP in the other playoff, George Brett, is from El Segundo High.

Poor Al Oliver. When the Dodgers and Blue Jays were leading their series, 2-0, it looked as if he would be able to say, “I played for both World Series teams in the same year.”

However, at least one person will not miss his presence at the the World Series.

Wrote John McGrath of the Denver Post Tuesday: “Al Oliver’s vault into center stage against reliever Dan Quisenberry would have been more moving last week had I not known that his two game-winning hits were going to activate his excruciatingly tedious ‘Why don’t I get any respect?’ soliloquy, now 10 years long and running. Save it for a rainy day on a deserted island, Al.”

Trivia Time: If Kareem Abdul-Jabbar plays to the end of his contract, will he, at age 40, become the oldest player in NBA history? (Answer below.)

From John Robinson, saying he would not try to sign another player to strengthen the Rams’ injury-ridden offensive line: “John Hannah is not waiting out there. Trust me. The guys waiting out there are working in restaurants and bars. We’ll make do with what we have.”

Randy White, the former All-American tackle at the University of Maryland, told the Dallas Cowboys Weekly that he was taken aback by the news of payments to college players.

“I never got one dime from alums,” he said. “I didn’t even have a summer job. The only thing I ever got free was beer and pizza. And the guy who owned the joint was an Iranian.”

When Phoenix Suns rookie Ed Pinckney stepped to the free-throw line against the Lakers in an exhibition game, Maurice Lucas sidled into the lane and said: “Are you feeling OK? You sure don’t look good.”

Said Mike Monroe of the Denver Post: “If Lucas was trying to intimidate the new kid, it worked to perfection. Pinckney made 1 of 8 free throws in the first half.”

Trivia Answer: No. Bob Cousy was 41 years old when he came out of a seven-year retirement to play seven games as player-coach of the Cincinnati Royals in 1969-70.

Quotebook

Washington Redskins defensive back Barry Wilburn, on the difficulty of covering St. Louis Cardinals receiver Roy Green: “It looks like he has two speeds--here he comes and there he goes.”