It Was Always Quip Time With the Quiz

Dan Quisenberry, who announced his retirement Sunday in San Francisco, not only was a great relief pitcher, he also was one of the game’s premier quipsters. Some of his one-liners:

--”If we come back and win this thing, it will be like finding Amelia Earhart out on a date with Jimmy Hoffa.”

--”I broke my slump when I found a delivery in my flaw.”

--”A manager uses a relief pitcher like a six-shooter. He fires until it’s empty and then takes the gun and throws it at the villain.”

--”George Steinbrenner has one simple ambition. He wants all the land next to his.”

--On an Angel team that had Rod Carew, Fred Lynn, Reggie Jackson and Don Baylor: “They’re like the American League All-Star team, and that’s the problem. The American League All-Star team always loses.”

--On a wicked, back-to-the-mound shot by Wade Boggs: “It played Pinball Wizard on my legs. It lit up all my bones, and won a free game.”

Add Quisenberry: On his career, he said: “Every day was Christmas. Sometimes I didn’t like the packages, but I loved opening the presents.”

Trivia time: When Native Dancer finished second in the 1953 Kentucky Derby for the only loss of his career, who was the winner?

Would-you-believe-it Dept.: The Boston Globe reported that Alabama linebacker Keith McCants visited Boston before the draft and spent almost two hours with New England Patriot Coach Rod Rust.

Said the Globe: “When McCants was asked on the way out of town what he thought of Rod, he said, ‘Who’s Rod?’ ”

Add forgettable quotes: When Oakland’s Lance Blankenship stepped in to face Greg Harris of the Boston Red Sox on Saturday, A’s announcer Monte Moore said, “You have to hit your way on against Greg Harris. He’s a strike-thrower, always has been.”

Blankenship walked on four pitches.

No picnic: Hubie Brown of CBS-TV told the Pittsburgh Press: “In the NBA, you have five to eight seconds to say something between plays. In the National Football League, you have 25 seconds. In baseball, even more.

“People expect you to get to the point quickly, give all the options and be as funny as John Madden in eight seconds.”

Trivia answer: Dark Star.

Quotebook: George Foreman, after signing to meet Adilson Rodrigues on June 16: “This old man is back. King Kong is back. Let me tell you one thing. I may be old, fat and out of shape. But one thing you can’t take away--here I is.”