Ex-49er Coach Walsh Throws Media for Loss in NBC Debut

At a seminar called by NBC to introduce its new announcers for the pro football season, the introduction of Bill Walsh was saved for last.

According to Glenn Sheeley of the Atlanta Journal and Constitution, Walsh calmly walked up to address the group.

Smiling, Walsh said, “G-g-g-good m-m-m-morning, it’s g-g-good to s-s-see y-y-you.”

Sheeley: “When NBC-TV executive producer Terry O’Neil’s heart started again, he couldn’t stop laughing.”

The holdup: Mike Schad, the big tackle from Canada who was a bust with the Rams after they made him their No. 1 pick in 1986, is a potential starter this season with Philadelphia.

Schad was endorsed by former lineman Doug Bartlett.

Bartlett: “There’s nothing wrong with his toughness. The only thing wrong that I can see is that he doesn’t know how to hold yet.”

Trivia time: Who is the only player to win stolen base titles in both the American League and National League? (Answer below.)

Chasing the Horse: Cal Ripken’s move into third place last week in consecutive games played has, naturally, raised the question of his possibly catching Lou Gehrig, whose record of 2,130 straight games has long been looked upon as unassailable.

Nobody knows, of course, whether the Baltimore Oriole shortstop can catch the Iron Horse, but if he does, he will be younger than Gehrig was when Gehrig’s remarkable streak ended. Gehrig was 35 when he stepped out of the Yankee lineup.

Ripken will turn 29 Thursday and, if he keeps his streak alive, will be 34, about two months shy of 35, when he matches Gehrig’s record in the 70th game of the 1995 season.

Help Wanted: Mike Tyson not only is running out of opponents, he is running low on sparring partners. He went through 10 before the Carl (The Truth) Williams fight. Either they were getting busted up or were sent home because they did little else but run in the ring.

Greg Page, one of the few who lasted, told the Philadelphia Inquirer: “You should have seen Melvin Epps. Carl Lewis has nothing on him.”

Page, a former champion, said: “Most people are afraid of Mike Tyson. I think I’m just crazy enough to have no fear of him. The only person I fear is God . . . and my wife.”

Cerebral Cowboy: Dallas Cowboy Owner Jerry Jones, who played football with Jimmy Johnson at Arkansas, told the Houston Chronicle: “Jimmy is not head coach of the Cowboys because he is my friend. Our friendship merely made me aware of his tremendous intellect and coaching skill.

“Jimmy was one of those students who could look at a book for 20 minutes and go to class and take a test, while everybody else had to work hours and days and days to get ready for it.”

53 years ago today: On Aug. 23, 1936, 17-year-old Bob Feller, in his first major league start, recorded 15 strikeouts as the Cleveland Indians beat the St. Louis Browns, 4-1.

Trivia answer: Ron LeFlore. He stole 68 bases for Detroit in 1978 and 97 bases for Montreal in 1980.

Quotebook: Former catcher Bob Uecker, on how he knew his career with the Atlanta Braves was over: “When the manager, Luman Harris, told me no visitors were allowed in the clubhouse.”