Bo, Bob --Almost Together

Times assistant sports editor Mike Kupper was at the Milwaukee Journal in 1968 when Army basketball Coach Bob Knight was interviewed for the job at the University of Wisconsin.

Kupper: “Knight was told the job was his if he wanted it, and he led the Badgers to believe he would take it--that he just wanted to tell his wife before there was an announcement. When word leaked to the press, he changed his mind, stayed at Army and then moved on to Indiana a few years later.

“Incidentally,” added Kupper, “Wisconsin also had a shot at Bo Schembechler before he went to Michigan.”

And?

“Bo got turned off when one of the Wisconsin athletic board members fell asleep during the interview.”

Have you seen Brian Bosworth in that deodorant commercial?

“Now that was hard work,” said the Seattle linebacker. “It took 16 hours and 153 takes to get it done. But it was exactly what we wanted and it has been received well.”

Add Bosworth: He leased a house in Newport Beach for the off-season and says, “A lot of teammates have been down, and we’ve had a good time working out, surfing, playing volleyball, looking at all the curves walking by.”

Trivia Time: Bernice Gera is the answer to what trivia question? (Answer below.)

When Pittsburgh’s Barry Bonds hit a leadoff homer against the Dodgers Thursday night, he was only doing what his dad did better than anybody in big league history. Bobby Bonds holds the career record for leadoff homers at 35.

It can’t be said he was favored by the ballpark. He was with eight different teams--five in the American League, three in the National League.

Note: Barry hit his fourth leadoff homer of the season and the 12th of his career Friday night. Bobby set a National League season record of 11 with San Francisco in 1973.

Former umpire Ron Luciano, asked about Billy Martin, told USA Today: “The first three or four years I threw him out of every game I umpired. But then we went out drinking a couple of times. And from that point on we respected each other.

“It got to the point where he’d come racing out, throw his arms in the air, put his nose next to mine and say, ‘You know what?’ I’d say, ‘What?’ He’d say, ‘I’ve got a hangover.’ ”

Add Martin: The way he’s been using Dave Righetti hasn’t met with the reliever’s approval, but Righetti said he hasn’t talked to the manager.

“It’s the way I was taught,” Righetti said. “My Dad used to talk about playing for Freddie Hutchinson in the minors. He talked to him the first day of the season and the last day of the season.”

And what did Hutchinson say?

“Goodby,” Righetti said.

Muhammad Ali told Wallace Matthews of Newsday he’s picking Michael Spinks to dethrone Mike Tyson.

“Spinks hits hard enough,” Ali said. “He’ll stick and move, he’s fast on his feet, and he’ll keep his distance. Fighters like that give Tyson trouble.”

Trivia Answer: She was the first female umpire in organized baseball. In 1972, she umpired a game in the New York-Pennsylvania League.

Quotebook

Trainer Wayne Lukas, describing Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors: “She has the face of a princess, the butt of a washerwoman and the walk of a hooker.”