He Turned Into One Fine Ladd

There are few secrets on National Football League draft day, but Al LoCasale of the Raiders likes to tell this story from his days with the then-Los Angeles Chargers of the old American Football League.

“I was at a shoeshine stand in Los Angeles and the shoeshine man sees I’m wearing a Chargers blazer. He mentioned that some NFL guy had been by talking about some gigantic player from Grambling College by the name of Boy or Kid. Then he turns to me and says, ‘No, Ladd.’

“That’s the first time I had ever heard of Ernie Ladd.”

Add LoCasale: That’s not the end of the story. The Chargers had to do some extensive research to prove that Ladd was indeed a fourth-year junior. That extended right into draft day, and when the investigation proved that the 6-foot 9-inch, 280-pound defensive lineman was eligible to be taken, the Chargers drafted him.

It’s been 27 years, but that coup still ranks at the top of LoCasale’s list.

He said: “Probably from a steal standpoint, nothing was more thrilling than Ladd.”

After shortstop Rafael Santana made an error that led to six runs for the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning Monday, New York Yankees Manager Billy Martin indicated that he would bench Santana Tuesday night.

Santana remained in the lineup, however, and Martin told reporters, “I don’t have a doghouse.”

Wrote Tom Verducci of Newsday: “(Martin) also didn’t have a choice. The only other available shortstop, Bobby Meacham, had to play second base because Willie Randolph missed his second game with a sore left wrist.”

Martin may not have a doghouse, but Santana was in the dugout Wednesday night, when Randolph played second and Meacham was at short.

Would-you-believe-it Dept.: Kevin Henderson of the Cleveland Cavaliers attempted just 14 free throws in the first 185 minutes he played this season. Then, Tuesday night against the Atlanta Hawks, he shot 12 in 4 minutes.

Add free throws: Rookie Ken Norman of the Clippers outdid himself when was was 0 for 8 from the line Tuesday night against the Utah Jazz. In a game earlier this season, Norman was 2 for 13.

Greg Norman once said of new Masters champion Sandy Lyle: “Ol’ Sleepy Sandy has the potential to accomplish almost anything he wants.”

The Sandman has won his last two tournaments, three this season and leads the PGA Tour with $591,821 in 1988 earnings.

Said Lyle this week: “I think I have the sleep out of my eyes now.”

From Jim Bouton to Dave Winfield, all those Yankees and former Yankees who have written books haven’t been afraid to step on any toes.

Sparky Lyle’s “Bronx Zoo” was pretty much a no-holds-barred account of Yankee high jinks, but Pat Calabria of Newsday says Lyle did hold one item back.

Wrote Calabria: “(Lyle) would not include in the book an episode in which the wife of teammate Mickey Rivers took a shot at her husband with a pistol. Lyle was not concerned that Rivers might be embarrassed. He was just worried that if Mrs. Rivers saw the story in print, she might try to shoot him.”

Add books: Bouton’s “Ball Four” was really the first of the Yankee books, even though he wrote most of it while playing for the Seattle Mariners, but he contends that the book was tame by today’s standards.

Said Bouton: “There were plenty of things I didn’t put in the book. I didn’t put people in bed with anyone they weren’t supposed to be in bed with. All the sexy stories are anonymous. I didn’t tell half the stories I could have.”

Quotebook

Myrtle Kramer, mother of Hall of Fame player Jerry Kramer of the Green Bay Packers, before his book, “Instant Replay,” was published: “Don’t use any words Roy Rogers wouldn’t use.”