In Memory of McCarver’s Arm

Bo Jackson, assigned by the Kansas City Royals to the Memphis Chicks of the Southern League, will be playing his home games in Tim McCarver Memorial Stadium, named for the former catcher who makes his home in Memphis.

But why the Memorial?

“They named it after my arm,” McCarver said.

Add McCarver: Here’s how he once explained the success of Steve Carlton: “Carlton does not pitch to the hitter, he pitches through him. The batter hardly exists for Steve. He’s playing an elevated game of catch.”

Former Seattle Seahawk Coach Jack Patera, now selling industrial cylinders in Seattle, said there’s only one way he could be induced to return to coaching.

“There’d have to be a clause in there that I could fire the owner,” he said.

Trivia Time: What are the first names of Babe Parilli, Babe Didrikson and Babe Herman? (Answer below.)

Said West German goalkeeper Harald (Toni) Schumacher, looking to Sunday’s World Cup final against Argentina: “(Diego) Maradona is a human being like the rest of us, although we have to admit that he has great virtues. But I don’t think he’ll score against us.”

Remember the words of Belgian goalie Jean-Marie Pfaff before facing Argentina in the semifinals?

“Maradona is nothing special,” he said.

Result: Maradona 2, Belgium 0.

79 Years Ago Today: On June 28, 1907, catcher Branch Rickey of the New York Yankees set a major league record when he allowed 13 stolen bases as the Yankees lost to Washington, 16-5.

For What It’s Worth: Andrew Castle, the British player who almost upset Mats Wilander at Wimbledon, went to Seminole Junior College in Oklahoma and then to Wichita State.

“The States are just different from here,” he told London journalists. “You go to something like a Wichita State-Kansas basketball game, you see the kind of grit that college sports entails, it affects you. I love to compete.”

If Boris Becker fails to repeat as champion at Wimbledon, it won’t be because he choked. At least that’s the opinion of Ion Tiriac, his manager.

In fact, Tiriac says Becker’s biggest problem is his complete lack of fear, which translates into overconfidence.

“Does he get nervous? I wish,” Tiriac said. “He will never choke, because he never thinks he’s going to lose a point.”

Add Wimbledon: Of his lack of charisma, Ivan Lendl told John Feinstein of the Washington Post: “I don’t worry about the people. Maybe they are getting to know me better and therefore getting warmer toward me, but I’m not going to think about whether it will make them happy if I win here. I know I would be happy and that is quite enough.”

Feinstein: “He didn’t sound happy when he said it.”

From Steve Richmond of the Detroit Red Wings, who was called up, farmed out or traded a total of seven times last season: “I lead the league in bank accounts and phone numbers.”

Trivia Answer: Vito Parilli, Mildred Didrikson, Floyd Herman.

Quotebook

Stan Kasten, president of the Atlanta Hawks, after being attacked by a mugger at the Omni: “Maybe he saw our new ticket prices.”