Will He Carry a Horseshoe, Too?

Jack Van Berg, trainer of Kentucky Derby winner Alysheba, is hoping to repeat Saturday in the Preakness, a race he won with Gate Dancer in 1984.

“I’m staying at the same motel where I stayed then,” he said. “My wife said she wanted to try this other motel, and I told her, ‘You can go stay over there by yourself. I know where I’m staying.’ ”

Van Berg also asked for the same stall.

“It’s not that I’m superstitious,” he said, “but that’s what I’m doing.”

Rusty Hilger, please note: Said Oklahoma linebacker Brian Bosworth after announcing he was entering the supplemental draft: “Of all the teams, I’d prefer to play for the Raiders. There’s no perfect team. The Raiders have no quarterback. The reason I like the Raiders is I like their attitude.”

Trivia Time: When did Gene Mauch manage in the baseball All-Star game? (Answer below.)

Said St. Louis Cardinal Manager Whitey Herzog when asked to explain the problems of reliever Todd Worrell: “His location’s been bad--in the seats.”

According to Marty Noble of Newsday, former Cardinal reliever Al (The Mad Hungarian) Hrabosky offered Worrell this advice: “Pitch inside more and spread a few rumors about your sanity or lack of it.”

50 Years Ago Today: On May 12, 1937, Joe Medwick of the St. Louis Cardinals, en route to winning the Triple Crown, hit two home runs and two doubles to lead the Cardinals to a 15-3 rout of the Philadelphia Phillies. Medwick is the last Triple Crown winner in the National League.

Wait a Minute: After Bob Horner struck out twice and managed only an infield hit in his fifth game with the Yakult Swallows, Manager Junzo Sekike said: “It happens. He can hit well if he studies more about Japanese pitchers.”

In his first four games, Horner hit six home runs.

Said Cleveland Indian pitcher Greg Swindell after Sunday’s 4-2 win over the Kansas City Royals: “I’m a big statistician and like to keep track in my head. I think my ERA is 3.8 now. Two days ago, I figured out what it would be if I gave one, two or three runs. That gives me inspiration with runners in scoring position because I don’t want my ERA to go up.”

His earned-run average is 3.86.

Al Davis, please note: Wrote Richard Justice of the Washington Post: “Opposing pitchers have found a couple of gaping holes in Bo Jackson’s swing. He entered the weekend in a 10-for-58 slump that included 25 strikeouts.”

Trivia Answer: In 1965, he managed the National League. Normally, the pennant-winning managers from the year before are named, but St. Louis Manager Johnny Keane resigned to become manager of the New York Yankees. Mauch’s Philadelphia Phillies tied for second in 1964 after their famed collapse.

In the All-Star game, the National League won, 6-5, to take the series lead over the American League for the first time, 18-17. Willie Mays homered and scored the winning run.

Quotebook

Tim McCarver, announcer and former catcher: “The best way to avoid ballplayers is to go to a good restaurant.”