Gretzky May Be No. 2 in His Own Hometown

Who is the most famous son of Brantford, Canada, hometown of hockey’s Wayne Gretzky?

The Great One may come in second. The Kings’ center said in training camp that Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, lived there at one time.

Indeed, the Scottish-born Bell moved to the Ontario town with his parents in 1870, 6 years before the first telephone transmission.

Said Bob Borgen, who produces hockey features for Prime Ticket: “Does that mean Bell’s famous line was, ‘Watson, come here, I need you, eh?’ ”

That’s Jackson, with a K: Bo Jackson struck out 9 straight times last week, tying a major league record for non-pitchers set by Adolfo Phillips in 1966 and tied by Steve Balboni in 1984 and Reggie Jackson in 1987.

From Jose Canseco of the Oakland A’s, the first player ever to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in a season: “I got nervous when I was going for the 40th steal. I told my legs to go and I couldn’t move. It was so funny I almost started to laugh.”

Visiting hours: Among those who have attempted to see Washington Redskins quarterback Doug Williams in the hospital was a man who reportedly posed as a pizza delivery man and another who posed as Williams’ teammate, Charles Mann.

Word had it that Mark Rypien, who will start at quarterback for the Redskins this afternoon, also would attempt to sneak in to see Williams, who underwent an appendectomy earlier in the week.

Said Williams’ surgeon, Todd Arcomano: “If he can get through this security, he won’t have a problem Sunday.”

That’s not chicken feed: Mel (Mealman) Turpin, who went from the Utah Jazz to Zaragoza, Spain, so that the Jazz could acquire Jose Ortiz, its No. 1 pick in 1987, will receive $500,000 over 2 years from the Spanish team. When he retires, he will receive another $500,000 over 10 years from the Jazz.

Special delivery: Oakland pitcher Storm Davis said the breathing techniques he uses to relax on the mound are ones he learned in his wife’s LaMaze classes.

Check their ID’s: Columbia football Coach Larry McElreavy, whose team had lost 42 straight games, liked the Lions’ chances against Lafayette on Saturday better than the week before against Harvard.

After that game, a 41-7 loss, McElreavy said: “I showed up, part of my football team showed up. The wrong ones, unfortunately.”

Apparently, the wrong guys showed up again Saturday. Columbia lost again, 49-3.

Quotebook

Manager Tony LaRussa of the Athletics, on the Angels’ campaign to get reliever Bryan Harvey named rookie of the year in the American League: “It’s embarrassing. It’s not like you’re trying to sell soap.”