World Series Celebrants Covered Their Bases

When Mike Schmidt jumped into Tug McGraw’s arms after the final out of the 1980 World Series, it seemed like a spontaneous celebration of the Philadelphia Phillies’ victory. It wasn’t.

It was a calculated move designed to make the cover of Sports Illustrated, Schmidt now says.

During a “Greatest Sports Legends” show taped at the Dana Point Resort for broadcast in February, the third baseman tells host Reggie Jackson that he and McGraw rode together to Veterans Stadium for the final game against the Kansas City Royals.

Schmidt says he remembered the magazine’s cover when the Pittsburgh Pirates won the 1979 series.

Schmidt said he wanted to be on the cover, so he urged McGraw to “wait on me” after completing the final strikeout.

After McGraw struck out Willie Wilson to clinch the championship, McGraw raised his arms, walked toward home plate, then turned toward third base and greeted a leaping Schmidt.

The plan worked.

Linebacker Darryl Talley of the Buffalo Bills, asked about the likely weather conditions in Buffalo for Sunday’s playoff game against Houston, said: “What weather? We’ve got the tropics up here, the northern tropics. You know what you’re going to get, so you adapt to the environment.

“You don’t get as tired in the cold. Your circulation system closes down, I think, because your body doesn’t need as much water. It’s rather fun for me.”

How bad are the Boston Celtics, who lost to Dallas, 131-115, Thursday night.

After Denver beat the Celtics, 130-109, earlier this week, Nugget Coach Doug Moe was quoted by Peter May of the Hartford Courant as saying: “They were awful. I can’t remember when I’ve seen them that bad.”

How big is the Fiesta Bowl in West Virginia?

Sandra McKee of the Baltimore Evening Sun writes: “West Virginia will come to a standstill Monday. Cows in stables will be milked late and dinner dishes will be piled in sinks, waiting to be washed after The Game.

“The game, of course, is the Fiesta Bowl, and folks across the state will gather in front of television sets from Moundsville to Wheeling and from Bluefield to Shepherdstown to watch No. 3-ranked West Virginia take on No. 1 Notre Dame.

“The Mountain State has been blessed with beautiful peaks, roaring white water and lovely rolling hills, but seldom has it been home to greatness on the football field.”

Trivia time: What big-time college football coach was born in Follansbee, W.Va. (Answer to follow.)

John Lambert, owner of the Variety Discount store in Morgantown, W.Va., said: “There’s a direct correlation between the economy and the football team. If they win, the economy of West Virginia will be up for 3 months.”

Add West Virginia economy: It can’t be too bad now. According to Lambert, one Morgantown bar is charging $100 just to get in to watch the game.

Missing file: UCLA’s sports information department has discovered that somebody wandered off with the clippings file on longtime trainer Ducky Drake, who died last Friday.

Marc Dellins, the school’s sports information director, is hoping somebody runs across it and returns it soon, so proper records and historical items can documented.

Incidentally, an old interview with Drake was shown on the “UCLA Sports Magazine” on Prime Ticket Thursday night and will be repeated tonight at 5.

Trivia answer: Lou Holtz of Notre Dame.

Quotebook

Notre Dame’s Tony Rice, the forgotten quarterback: “I’m the guy in the shadow, and I’m enjoying every bit of it.”