And Once It Was Over, Yogi Forgot About It

The subject was the 1954 Cleveland Indians, who set an American League record by winning 111 games, and Yogi Berra was asked about the team.

Berra: “Bobby Avila had a good year for them. He got the MVP that year, I think. 1954? I’m pretty sure. Didn’t he?”

The MVP in 1954 was Yogi Berra.

Doug Williams was a sensation last Sunday when he came off the bench to lead Washington to victory against Philadelphia, but how will he do Sunday as a starting quarterback against Atlanta?

“No problem,” he said. “Instead of being Goose Gossage, I’ll be Dwight Gooden.”

Add Williams: The Monday before the opener, he figured he was headed west when Coach Joe Gibbs told him the Redskins had received an offer from the Raiders.

Williams: “After practice he told me they’d turned the trade down. It was for a second-round draft choice.”

Trivia Time: What do basketball coaches Ralph Miller of Oregon State, Lute Olson of Arizona and George Raveling of USC have in common? (Answer below.)

From Wallace Matthews of Newsday: “Tyrell Biggs, take heart: The last three Olympic heavyweight champs to fight for the world heavyweight title--Leon Spinks, George Foreman and Joe Frazier--all won it on their first try. Spinks and Foreman were underdogs, as Biggs will be when he faces Mike Tyson Oct. 16.”

Actually, Spinks won the Olympic light heavyweight title in 1976. Teofilo Stevenson was the heavyweight champion. Also, Biggs was the super heavyweight titlist in 1984. Henry Tillman was the heavyweight champion. But why quibble?

From Oklahoma State tailback Thurman Thomas, crediting fullback Limbrick Garrett for his 49-yard touchdown run against Houston: “That play was supposed to go inside, but Garrett told me in the huddle to go outside. I make it a point to always listen to my blockers.”

Would-you-believe-it dept.: Will Clark, with 31 home runs, already has hit more than Jack Clark ever did in a season at San Francisco. Jack’s high was 27.

The question is, can the Giants keep Will in San Francisco. They let Jack Clark get away to St. Louis, where he became the third ex-Giant to play first base for the Cardinals. The others were Bill White and Orlando Cepeda, and all three helped the Cardinals get into the World Series.

From Notre Dame football Coach Lou Holtz: “My wife, Beth, and I have a little trouble communicating. When I say ‘a broad,’ she thinks about a trip to Europe. When she says ‘diamond,’ I think of baseball.”

Montreal pitcher Charlie Lea, making his first start in three seasons Wednesday night against the New York Mets, was wearing his familiar No. 53.

“Most players like low numbers but I like to stick with 53,” Lea said. “It was lucky enough for Don Drysdale so it should be good enough for me.”

Not quite. After giving up four runs in one inning, he was gone.

Trivia Answer: All three were head basketball coaches at the University of Iowa.

Quotebook

Hall of Fame first baseman Orlando Cepeda, on Hall of Fame pitcher Don Drysdale: “The secret against Drysdale was to hit him before he hit you.”