Wife’s Small Prize Reduces Hat Size

Like most pitchers, Red Ruffing was more proud of his prowess as a hitter, and he had a lot to be proud of. The Hall of Fame right-hander, who died last week at the age 80 after spending the last 13 years in a wheelchair, batted over .300 eight times with the New York Yankees.

Ruffing’s widow, Pauline, told Milton Richman of United Press International of an argument she had with her husband one Christmas.

It wound up with Ruffing telling her she couldn’t talk to him that way, and she wanted to know why.

“Because I hit over .300,” he snapped.

“I don’t care if you hit 1.000,” she said.

That wasn’t the end of it, though. She went out and bought him the smallest trophy she could find, and gave it to him after having his batting average engraved on it.

“He loved it,” she told Richman. “You should have seen the kick he got out of it.”

The regular workout was shortened by rain, so the Cincinnati Reds had a hitting contest Sunday. The idea was to see which player could get the most line drives that would fall as hits in a game.

The winner of the contest was Manager Pete Rose. He had eight “hits” on 10 pitches.

However, the Associated Press added: “Rose did have an advantage as he was the sole judge of the competition.”

Trivia Time: Name the new managers this year for the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros and Pittsburgh Pirates. (Answer below.)

Jim McMahon says there will be no dynasty in Chicago unless the front office of the Bears adopts a new fiscal policy.

“I guarantee you we need Richard Dent,” McMahon told reporters before addressing the Quarterback Club in Washington. “If we don’t sign him, we’ll self-destruct.”

McMahon told the audience President Reagan called him collect to congratulate him after the Super Bowl.

“But knowing how cheap the Bears are they wouldn’t accept the call,” McMahon said.

In 1982, Darrell Robinson of Tacoma, Wash., set a still-standing high school record of 44.69 in the 400 meters. He hasn’t equaled the mark since, and when asked why, he said he spent too much time chasing girls instead of records.

Promising to rebound this year, Robinson said: “I’m not competing to be second best. I want to be No. 1, the best. If I can’t be, I’ll get a job, wear a tie and take the earrings off.”

If Tito Horford fails to cut it scholastically at the University of Miami, it won’t be because he has a language problem.

Basketball Coach Bill Foster told the Cleveland Plain Dealer that Horford speaks three languages--Spanish, English and a Haitian dialect.

Horford, 7-1 center from the Dominican Republic, is sitting out the season but is working out with the team. Foster has been impressed.

“He’s as good a shot blocker as Tree Rollins, who I had at Clemson,” Foster said.

Trivia Answer: Lou Piniella (N.Y. Yankees), Jimy Williams (Toronto), Chuck Tanner (Atlanta), Hal Lanier (Houston), Jim Leyland (Pittsburgh).

Quotebook

Joe DiMaggio, on his unworldliness as a rookie with the New York Yankees: “I remember a reporter asking for a quote, and I didn’t know what a quote was. I thought it was some kind of soft drink.”