His Idea Man Runs Out of Ideas

A manager needs all the help he can get. With that in mind, Minnesota Twins Manager Ray Miller told Patrick Reusse of the St. Paul Pioneer Press about a game in which Bert Blyleven was on the mound for the Twins, with Keith Atherton and Ron Davis in the bullpen.

“There was a guy near the dugout at the Metrodome,” Miller said. “Blyleven was struggling, and Atherton was warming up. The guy was screaming, ‘Miller, get him out of there.’ I went to the mound and brought in Atherton. Atherton gave up a couple of hits.

“Davis was warming up, so the guy started screaming, ‘Miller, go get him, bring in Davis.’ I do that, and the first hitter empties the bases. I hear the same voice.

“ ‘Miller,’ he said, ‘I don’t know what the hell to tell you now.’ ”

The Chicago Bears will play the Dallas Cowboys in an exhibition game Aug. 3 in London, and Bear tight end Tim Wrightman had this to say about Moammar Kadafi when someone mentioned the threat of terrorism: “We’re not dealing with a mental giant. Here the guy owns his own country and he only made himself a colonel. We have people who pluck chickens over here and make themselves colonels.”

Trivia Time: Jimmy Dykes and Joe Gordon were involved in what historic baseball deal in 1960? (Answer below.)

Whitey Herzog told The Sporting News that Joaquin Andujar called him from Oakland and told him he wanted to come back to St. Louis. Naturally, Andujar had good reasons.

One of them, according to Herzog, was that he didn’t like the hotels in the American League.

Some U.S. Open observations by Mac O’Grady, who speaks a special language:

On the course--”I love the golf course. You can exercise all the colors of one’s talents.”

On Greg Norman--”He is exemplifying the aura of being a true virtuoso. The sinew of his character and tenacity are showing through.”

Lee Trevino said he rooted for Jack Nicklaus at the Masters even though he had left the course.

“I left Augusta early, as usual,” he cracked. “I was at the Atlanta airport at the lounge across from the gate. I’d just ordered a light beer when I heard people screaming.

“I looked at the TV and Jack had just eagled 15. I turned to the bartender and said, ‘Make it a double Scotch.’ By the time Jack 60-footed within two inches on 18, I couldn’t see the set anymore.”

Add Trevino: When someone compared Nicklaus’ win to Bill Shoemaker’s winning ride in the Kentucky Derby, Trevino said: “Remember one thing, Shoemaker wasn’t carrying that horse. I haven’t seen a jockey yet pull a horse across the finish line. That win of Jack Nicklaus’ in Augusta was the most magnificent thing I’ve ever seen.”

Would-you-believe-it Dept.: The New York Mets, with a 41-16 record, already have won more games than the 1962 New York Mets, who finished with a record of 40-120.

48 Years Ago Today: Five days after no-hitting the Boston Braves, Johnny Vander Meer of the Cincinnati Reds pitched his second straight no-hit game, beating Brooklyn, 6-0, in the first night game played at Ebbets Field. Dodger shortstop Leo Durocher flied to center for the final out.

Trivia Answer: In a swap of managers, Detroit sent Dykes to Cleveland for Gordon.

Quotebook

Kansas City pitcher Mark Gubicza, a subject of trade rumors all spring, on seeing Bo Jackson in the Royals’ clubhouse: “Does this mean I’m going to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?”