In No Time, Francis Caught the Message

Coach Raymond Berry of the New England Patriots was the receivers’ coach in 1975 when tight end Russ Francis joined the club.

Francis told this one to Jim Donaldson of the Providence Journal: “Raymond walked up to me before practice and--he’s about 2 feet away--tosses me a football underhand.

“He doesn’t say a word. So I figure he wants to play catch. I toss it back underhand. Raymond keeps tossing the ball to me, backing up a few feet. I just keep tossing it back.

“It’s a bizarre scene, you know, because we’re not saying a word. Then I notice that every time he catches the ball he tucks it away. Right side, left side--he’d catch it and tuck it.

“This goes on for about 10 minutes. Then I catch on to what he did--tuck it away. He turns, without saying a word, and walks away. Except he’s got this grin on his face. All the while, he wanted me to tuck the ball away. It was his way of teaching me to do it.

“It’s a lesson I’ve never forgotten.”

B-r-r-r-r: John Eisenberg of the Baltimore Sun, on the Phoenix Cardinals: “The regular-season home opener will begin at 5 p.m., when the temperature takes that daily dip from 109 to 107.”

Cracking Up? The Associated Press reports that Michigan State offensive lineman Jeff Wittig, in an effort to bulk up over the summer, ate 36 raw eggs a day.

Would-you-believe-it Dept.: From Tom Verducci of Newsday: “While Jose Canseco is making a run at 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases, the Baltimore Orioles are having trouble producing a 10-10 man. In fact, they have only one 5-5 player, Ken Gerhart.”

Trivia Time: Name the only three 20-20 men--20 homers and 20 stolen bases in the same season--in the history of the Baltimore Orioles. (Answer below.)

The Rams received a fan letter from British Columbia wishing hockey star “Wayne Gredsky” well with his new team, the Los Angeles Rams. Enclosed was a card entitled, “A Prayer to Encourage You.”

Oh, well, it’s the thought that counts.

Add Letters: Jeanie Buss couldn’t believe it. In seven years of promoting tennis matches at the Forum, she had never received a letter from a player thanking her for the treatment they received. The streak was broken this week.

Doing the honors was Andre Agassi.

Former Green Bay Packer Paul Hornung, asked why teams can’t repeat anymore in the National Football League, told the Washington Post: “True, some of us did commercials, but we were lucky being in Green Bay, isolated from a large market area. My God, you can’t even relate it to the way football is now. Refrigerator Perry could make $25,000 an hour for six hours a day! How hungry can that guy be then? Uh, no pun intended. Anyway, no wonder the guy got to be 380 pounds.”

Houston Astros reliever Larry Andersen poses this one: “Why is a ball fair when it hits the foul pole.”

Darrell Fullington, rookie safety from the University of Miami (Fla.), asked about his contract with the Minnesota Vikings, told the St. Paul Pioneer Press Dispatch: “Man, I don’t even want to talk about it. Put it this way: I’m almost taking a pay cut from college.”

Trivia Answer: Reggie Jackson, Paul Blair and Don Baylor.

Quotebook

Minnesota Vikings Coach Jerry Burns, on the team’s annual bowling tournament: “I bowled a 145 and then I went down the tank. I’ve got a rotator cuff problem. Going to see Dr. Jobe.”