Losing Some Benefits of a Higher Education

Frank Layden, coach and general manager of the Utah Jazz, was telling Sam Goldaper of the New York Times how tough it is to negotiate contracts with players these days.

“I remember negotiating with one of our high draft choices,” he said. “After we had agreed on an $800,000 salary, he told me he wanted a gas card, a car, a job for his father and four paid trips home.

“I told him this was the NBA, not college.”

Add Layden: He leads the league in one-liners, but he declined an invitation to appear at a comedy club during a rare Saturday night off in an NBA city.

“After all,” he said, “I don’t want any comedians coming into the NBA to coach.”

Trivia Time: In 1965, when he won the Cy Young Award with a 26-8 record, why didn’t Sandy Koufax get the call to pitch the opening game of the World Series against the Minnesota Twins? (Answer below.)

Quickie Quiz: Paul Molitor of the Milwaukee Brewers, with a hitting streak of 27 games, is four games short of the longest streak of the 1980s, accomplished by what player? (Answer below.)

When it was rumored that Tom Lasorda would wind up in Philadelphia, he told Frank Dolson of the Philadelphia Inquirer: “If they don’t want me here, I would love to go. I love Philadelphia. I love the organization. I like Bill Giles. He’s a good guy. What the heck, I grew up in that area.”

Said Giles: “Tommy and I went on a couple of Japan trips together. He and I get along good. I like Tommy. He’s an excellent baseball guy. I’ve thought about Tommy for a number of years at some point, but I can’t believe the Dodgers’ letting him go.”

Denver Bronco Coach Dan Reeves, on Ram quarterback Jim Everett: “He’s an amazing athlete. He’s got a great arm and tremendous poise for a guy that young. They’ve been such a dominant running team for so long, it’s going to be interesting to see how they’ve changed with him at quarterback and with Ernie Zampese as their offensive coordinator.”

Senior golfer Peter Thomson, who once narrowly missed being elected to the Australian Parliament on the liberal ticket, sent in an absentee ballot for the 1987 election.

“My vote really doesn’t mean that much because the electorate in my area is overwhelmingly liberal,” he said. “But at least I saved myself $20, because there is a $20 fine for not voting.”

William Gildea of the Washington Post quotes Leo Durocher from his book, “Nice Guys Finish Last”:

“In the olden days, when I was shortstop for the Gas House Gang, I used to file my belt buckle to a sharp edge. We’d get into a tight spot in the game where we needed a strikeout, and I’d go to the mound and monkey around with the ball just enough to put a little nick on it. ‘It’s on the bottom, buddy,’ I’d tell the pitcher as I handed it to him.”

Trivia Answer: The World Series opened on Yom Kippur, and according to a provision in Koufax’s contract, he couldn’t be asked to pitch on Jewish religious days.

Quiz Answer: Ken Landreaux hit in 31 straight games for the Minnesota Twins in 1980.

Quotebook

Golfer Lee Trevino: “There are no rich Mexicans. They get some money, they call themselves Spanish.”