Another Decision for Quinn

Dan Quinn, central figure in the recruiting caper that cost a USC coach his job, already has made his mark at Notre Dame, although football season is five months off.

Quinn, 6-4, 235-pound linebacker from San Dieguito High School, won the super-heavyweight boxing title in the 56th annual Notre Dame club boxing tournament.

Quinn scored a split decision win over another Southland product, fullback Pernell Taylor from Bishop Amat. More than 10,000 fans watched the three-night tournament.

In the recruiting battle for Quinn, USC assistant coach Russ Purnell was cited for violations and was subsequently fired.

Add Irish: Said Coach Lou Holtz after his first look at the team in the spring: “We have only four lineman, but seven quarterbacks on scholarship. Somebody asked me if one of the quarterbacks could play another position. I think one of them might be able to play shortstop.”

Trivia Time: What is the only L.A. City high school that has graduates in both the baseball Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame. (Answer below.)

UCLA Coach Walt Hazzard, on college basketball’s new three-point goal: “It’s a good play that will add a lot more interest. It will reward a player for having the skill to sink a shot from that far. Reggie Miller would have had another 150 points with the rule this year.”

Said Yogi Berra when asked about the switch from the pinstripes of the New York Yankees to the Baskin-Robbins colors of the Houston Astros: “Aw, it’s just a uniform. It doesn’t make any difference. Besides, I can’t look at myself.”

Add Yogi: Asked once what the size of his cap was, he said: “I don’t know. I’m not in shape yet.”

Furman Bisher of the Atlanta Journal told of a hustler who explained why he turned down a jai alai bet: “I don’t bet on anything that reads or writes, so I’m down to dog racing and Georgia football.”

Steve Yeager wore No. 7 when he was with the Dodgers, but when he went to Seattle, the number belonged to shortstop Spike Owen. So Yeager settled on No. 1.

Now, they’ve made a switch, and Owen is wearing No. 1.

“No. 7 was my big league number, and I was happy to keep it,” Owen told the Seattle Times. “But Steve Yeager had been No. 7 for 14 years in the major leagues. To me, that’s the respect I have for him. I hope some day somebody will show me that same respect.”

Note: Owen would be happy to know that the last shortstop to make the Hall of Fame wore No. 1. That was Pee Wee Reese.

Add Owen: Don’t ask him how he got his nickname. Spike is his given name. It comes from his mother’s maiden name, which is Spikes.

Trivia Answer: Van Nuys High School, with Don Drysdale and Bob Waterfield.

Quotebook

Jeff Ruland of the Washington Bullets, on his frequent injuries: “I’m trying to be like Bill Walton--be injured a long time and end up in Boston.”