Attention all units:Two missing swimmers believed...

Attention all units:

Two missing swimmers believed heading this way. Prominent features: Damaged snouts.

The two California gray whales that drew world attention when they were trapped in ice near Barrow, Alaska, haven’t been seen since they swam free with the aid of human friends Oct. 28.

And scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration want to know what happened to them. So they’re sending out mug shots to the Cetacean Research Assn. for distribution to Southern California whale-watching cruise companies.

Jim Harvey, a federal biologist, said the young whales could stop off in Southern California during their 6,000-mile trip to breeding grounds off Baja California.

David Withrow, another oceanic detective, said that if the mug shots don’t turn up the swimmers, he’s considering sending out poster pictures of them.

Or he could have them profiled on “America’s Most Wanted” television series.

Long Beach has come up short in the first test of of its new “Most on the Coast” slogan.

The city had planned to hang a banner that said, “Largest Christmas Tree,” around the 80-footer it ordered for the holiday celebration.

“We thought it would be the tallest because we knew Disneyland’s and Knott’s Berry Farm’s were each around 70 feet,” said Manny Jones, special events coordinator for the Downtown Long Beach Associates.

Alas, Long Beach’s spies had overlooked one possibility.

“We found out that Fashion Island’s (in Newport Beach) is going to be over 100 feet,” said Jones mournfully. “I guess we were a little off.”

Long Beach’s Naval Shipyard still sports the nation’s biggest seaborne crane, with or without tinsel, though.

The Dodgers probably won’t have to forfeit their world championship. But it is true, as 11-year-old Andrea Maurer of Garden Grove wrote to Dodger President Peter O’Malley, that the players’ uniforms are royal (or Dodger) blue while the stadium is painted mostly in pastel blue. You’ll never hear manager Tommy Lasorda bragging that he bleeds pastel blue.

O’Malley wrote back good-naturedly to Andrea: “Your suggestion is excellent, and I think we should paint the entire city blue!”

But which shade?

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Barristers, the arm of the county Bar Assn. that is composed of members under the age of 36. The Bar has put together an informal history of the group, which includes an early bit of advice received by Leo Anderson, Barristers president from 1931-32. It was: “Do not accept trade for fees--especially in divorce cases.”