He Just Didn’t Want to Rock the Boat

The Hong Kong dragon boat regatta, first held in the 4th Century BC, had an added attraction Sunday. A group of National Football League stars were matched against a local women’s team.

Normally, a boat carries 22 rowers, plus a drummer to keep the beat and a coxswain. Only 11 NFL players, averaging 230 pounds, managed to cram into their boat. They lost by 30 seconds to the women, who averaged 110 pounds.

Hall of Fame tackle Art Donovan declined to compete.

“I think I’ll just cheer real loud and not get into the boat,” he said before the race. “I don’t want our dragon boat race to turn into a dragon submarine race.”

Donovan weighs 325.

Jerry Reinsdorf, chairman of the board of the Chicago White Sox, asked about a report that investors were threatening a suit if he moved the team, said: “Not true. Actually, they’re going to sue if we don’t move.”

From Tom Watson, revealing that he gets numerous letters from fans with suggestions on how to cure his putting woes: “One said I should putt right-handed when I had a right-hand roll and left-handed when I had a left-hand roll.”

Trivia Time: Name four Olympic Games gold medalists who played Tarzan in the movies. (Answer below.)

Remember when Joe Douglas, manager of Carl Lewis, said the Olympic star could be another Michael Jackson in marketability?

In Paris, Lewis was scheduled to compete in a meet Monday. However, a Jackson concert had been scheduled in the same stadium the same day.

The track meet was moved. It was held 130 miles away in Villeneuve D’Ascq, a few minutes from the Belgian border.

81 Years Ago Today: On June 28, 1907, catcher Branch Rickey of the New York Yankees allowed 13 stolen bases as the Yankees lost to the Washington Senators, 16-5. It’s still a major league record.

Ouch: Former New England Patriots guard John Hannah tells the Sporting News why he prefers Steve Grogan to Tony Eason at quarterback: “The difference is that Grogan looks for the pass receivers and Eason looks for the pass rush.

“Tony should wear a skirt instead of a uniform. When he was hurt before we played the Bears in the Super Bowl, we were hoping he’d stay hurt so Steve could play.”

Margaret Smith Court says Steffi Graf has taken over from Martina Navratilova and gives her a good shot at the Grand Slam, which last was won by Court in 1970.

“I think on all surfaces Steffi would beat Martina 8 times out of 10,” Court said. “In the past year, Steffi has got better and better and Martina has only got worse.”

Said Houston catcher Alan Ashby when asked by USA Today what baseball situation he least would like to face: “A throw coming from right field with Dave Parker or Don Baylor coming in for a bang-bang play.”

Trivia Answer: Johnny Weissmuller, Buster Crabbe, Herman Brix and Glenn Morris.

Note: Brix, a football and track star at the University of Washington, won the shotput in the 1928 Olympics. His screen name was Bruce Bennett, and “Treasure of Sierra Madre” fans will remember him as the interloping prospector who got blown away.

Quotebook

Ellis Clary, Chicago White Sox scout: “I grew up in a town in Georgia that was so mean hitchhikers would go either way.”