It Was Plain to See Wilt Was Tall, but Ali Planned to Make Him Fall

Dave Kindred of the Atlanta Journal and Constitution, in a commentary on a proposed bout between Tony Mandarich and Mike Tyson, recalled another such proposal.

“Wilt Chamberlain once spoke of fighting Muhammad Ali,” Kindred wrote. “They posed for pictures with Chamberlain’s long arm pressing a fist against Ali’s cheek while Ali’s arm fell far short of the giant’s chin. Ali spotted Chamberlain’s goatee and cried out that Chamberlain must shave. ‘I ain’t fightin’ no billy goat,’ Ali said.

“At 7-foot-1, Chamberlain made the 6-3 Ali look childlike. But in the ring, it would have been legalized homicide because Ali would have sliced, diced and chopped Chamberlain. Ali even made up a poem about the big man:

He better be limber

‘ Cause I’m gonna yell, “Timberrrrr! “

In a League by Themselves: From San Francisco Giants catcher Terry Kennedy, marveling at the slugging feats of Kevin Mitchell: “I didn’t hit like that in the Pony League. I don’t even hit like that in my fantasies. I’m sure that when Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle were hitting 50 home runs, this is what they looked like.”

Expansion: When told that Jeff Jackson, No. 1 draft pick of the Philadelphia Phillies, grew seven inches to 6-3 last year, Manager Nick Leyva said, “I grew three inches--from a 33 to a 36.”

Trivia Time: What batterymates at what university went on to win Cy Young and Most Valuable Player awards in the American League?

Welcome to the Club: When Kansas City Royals catcher Bob Boone caught his 2,100th game, teammate George Brett said to him, “Congratulations, Boonie. I’m a member of the 2,100 club, too--2,100 days on the disabled list.”

Those Gambling Days: Would Pete Rose’s Hall of Fame ambitions be ruined if it is proved he gambled? It probably would depend on how deeply he was involved.

Writes baseball historian Charles Alexander: “Rogers Hornsby gambled on horses and in 1926 owed $70,000 in gambling debts to his bookie. There were more players closer to more gamblers 75 years ago than there are now.”

Note: Hornsby was player-manager of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1926. Apparently, the gambling didn’t interfere with his managing. The Cardinals won the National League pennant and then knocked off the mighty New York Yankees in the World Series.

Would-you-believe-it Dept.: When Jesse Owens set three world records and tied another in the Big Ten championships in 1935, he established meet standards that have never been broken. His marks in the 100- and 220-yard dashes, the 220-yard low hurdles and the long jump are still in the Big Ten record book--although only the long jump is still contested.

The low hurdles were dropped in the 1960s, and the sprints were changed from yards to meters in the 1970s.

Ready for Those Power Slams?: Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon, determined to end the injury jinx, has been working out under physical therapist Bob Gajda, who told the Chicago Sun-Times: “The guy’s possessed. We get here at 6:30 and he’s waiting for us. I’ve never seen him like this.

“His muscular development is astounding. He’s a lot bigger and he’s leaner muscularly. He doesn’t have that pork sausage on him. He looks like Hulk Hogan next to Mike Tomczak.”

Trivia Answer: Pitcher Steve Stone and catcher Thurman Munson of Kent State.

Quotebook: Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda, on his diet: “I eat fish, baked potatoes, a lot of vegetables and fruits, and I drink eight glasses of water a day. I’ve drunk enough water to float a ship.”