Seeing Is Not Always Enough

When St. Louis catcher Tony Pena was slumping badly this season, Cardinal coach Johnny Lewis suggested that he see an optometrist. Pena did, and learned that he needed glasses.

Lewis said he had the same problem when he was playing outfield for Casey Stengel’s New York Mets in 1965.

Did the glasses help his hitting?

“No, they didn’t,” he said. “But I sure could see good.”

Add Pena: Says St. Louis Manager Whitey Herzog: “He hasn’t missed a sign all year. Of course, he hasn’t been on base enough to see many of them.”

The World Series doesn’t start until Saturday, but Frank Viola already has been relieved. The Minnesota left-hander was supposed to be the best man at brother John Viola’s wedding in East Meadow, N.Y., but he will be otherwise occupied with the St. Louis Cardinals.

The date of the wedding was set 18 months ago, and the bride-to-be, Donna Litt, is holding to it. Also, she has banned all television sets.

“We hired a $1,500 band,” she said. “I don’t want everyone sitting around watching TV.”

Said Helen Viola, mother of the pitcher and the groom: “It’s Donna’s day, and I can understand that she wants it to herself. So we’re going to try to behave ourselves. It’s going to kill me, but I’m going to try.”

Bert Blyleven, who holds the record for home runs allowed in a season, had this to say during a series in which enemy fans were throwing Minnesota home runs back onto the field: “I’m just glad they don’t throw mine back. My outfielders would get bombarded.”

Trivia Time: What two players other than Jeffrey Leonard have been named the most valuable players in a league championship series after playing for losing teams? (Answer to follow.)

Rick Venturi, Indianapolis Colts assistant coach, was the head coach at Northwestern when the Wildcats embarked on a 34-game losing streak, the record that Columbia broke last Saturday.

Venturi, who coached the first 20 losses, told the Chicago Sun-Times: “It’s not one of my lasting memories. I remember being a 31-year-old guy filled with idealism who spent three years fighting for his life. I feel for those people at Columbia. What a pain that must be.”

During the Northwestern famine, Venturi came up with this line after a 63-20 loss to Ohio State: “The only difference between me and General Custer is that I have to watch the films on Sunday.”

What can you say about a team you’re favored to beat by 55 points? Oklahoma Coach Barry Switzer said this about Kansas State: “Their receivers can make some plays.”

He didn’t say what kind.

Trivia Answer: Mike Scott of Houston in 1986 and Fred Lynn of the Angels in 1982.

Quotebook

Abe Lemons, Oklahoma City basketball coach, on why coaching is tougher than practicing medicine: “Doctors bury their mistakes. We still have ours on scholarship.”