Notes on a Scorecard - July 9, 1990

The sporting gourmet awards three stars out of a possible four to Breakfast at Wimbledon and a generous one star to Lunch in Rome. . . .

Stefan Edberg did it the hardest way over Boris Becker--build a big lead, get caught and then come back to win the decisive set. . . .

Edberg also displayed such rare emotion that the old showman, NBC commentator Jimmy Connors, said he was “privileged” to see it. . . .

This was a strange five-setter. No tiebreakers. Nothing even close to it. And most of the points were over faster than you could say, “Serve and volley.” But here were two champions slugging away for more than three hours--and then embracing each other in the custom of two fighters who had just gone 12 tough rounds. . . .

I was afraid I would miss the goal in the World Cup championship game either because I was snoozing or TNT was showing a commercial. . . .

The two most important football championships are having different problems. Too much scoring in the Super Bowl and not enough scoring in the World Cup. . . .

With the score 0-0, TNT commentator Mick Luckhurst said, “West Germany needs to score a goal.” I guess Argentina didn’t need to. . . .

Argentina would have been embarrassed by a time-of-possession statistic. . . .

Two Americans scored more goals than Diego Maradona in the World Cup. . . .

Look-alikes: Boris Becker and Todd Marinovich. . . .

I would love to have been a fourth for bridge with Tom Lasorda, Fred Claire and Kirk Gibson in the Dodger manager’s office Sunday. . . .

The Angels should have traded Devon White when they could have gotten something for him. . . .

Thumbs up to Eddie Murray for saying he’s not playing as well as he should. . . .

Fay Vincent may get a tickertape parade down Broadway if he suspends George Steinbrenner. . . .

What imagination the Cardinals showed by bringing back Red Schoendienst to replace Whitey Herzog. . . .

Rickey Henderson was voted the greatest leadoff man ever in a survey conducted by Baseball America. . . .

Nice to know that Gene Autry, who has changed managers 12 times since 1969, isn’t blaming the Angels’ troubles on Doug Rader. . . .

They gave Minnesota some nice young pitchers, but the Mets aren’t regretting the deal that brought them Frank Viola (13-3). . . .

There’s no lead too big for the Angel and Dodger bullpens to blow. . . .

Of course, you always have to watch out for the dangerous Milwaukee Brewers when they get down by a touchdown and an extra point. . . .

Seven former Dodgers are managing in the major leagues--Tom Lasorda, Roger Craig, Don Zimmer, Jim Lefebvre, Bobby Valentine, Frank Robinson and Jeff Torborg. . . .

ESPN’s “Major League Baseball Magazine” showed Kansas City’s Bo Jackson running out an inside-the-park homer and the Yankees’ Mel Hall giving his patented home-run trot. Jackson circled the bases exactly twice as fast as Hall. . . .

In the lexicon of the race track, most of new trainer Bill Shoemaker’s horses are firing. . . .

Chris McCarron was supposed to sign photographs between the second and third races at Hollywood Park Saturday at $2 a pop for the Donald MacBeth Memorial Fund. He was still signing as late as the seventh race. . . .

Sefton’s Cookie, who finished seventh in the sixth race Friday night, was named for the character sportscaster Gil Stratton played in the 1953 hit movie, “Stalag 17.” . . .

The brackets and upsets were kind to Martina Navratilova at Wimbledon, but she could have beaten anyone Saturday. . . .

Jorge Paez should concentrate more on his boxing and less on his clowning. . . .

If Virgil Hill is the surprise of the 1984 U.S. Olympic boxing team, Mark Breland is among the disappointments. . . .

Eddie Futch is turning Riddick Bowe into a potential contender in the heavyweight division. . . .

The Rams will play only one NFC West game--Atlanta at Anaheim Stadium on Oct. 21--in the first 11 weeks of the season. . . .

Who do you like in the Olympic Festival this year--the West, East, North or South? . . .

It was a great day for National Hockey League players when Washington Capitals defenseman Scott Stevens signed an offer sheet from the St. Louis Blues that will bring him $1.3 million a year for four years. The previous high salary for an NHL defenseman was the $800,000 a year Chris Chelios, just traded to Chicago, was earning at Montreal. . . .

Now, can we forget about soccer for four years?