Well, Maybe He Has a Bubbly Personality

Beverage companies can forget about signing Joe Falcon, America’s fastest-rising middle-distance runner, to endorse soda pop--or even mineral water.

Falcon told Joe Concannon of the Boston Globe that he credits his recent successes, such as a 3:49.1 victory in the “Dream Mile” at Oslo’s Bislett Games in July, to a conversation with Roger Bannister, the Englishman who in 1954 became the first miler to break four minutes.

Said Falcon: “He told me of a study done in Britain, and it indicated you shouldn’t drink carbonated beverages. I was always drinking three or four Cokes. I haven’t touched anything with carbonation, even during hard-track (workout) sessions, and my recovery rate has doubled.”

Trivia time: What do Houston Oiler fullback Alonzo Highsmith and Green Bay Packer cornerback Ron Pitts have in common?

Tag line: From Glenn Sheeley of the Atlanta Journal: NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue recently spoke with the media in Boston.

Talking about the frequent arrests of Denver players, Tagliabue said: “The Broncos are on the honor system. ‘Yes, your honor. . . . No, your honor.’ ”

Fat upper lip, almost: From Associated Press: On the final lap of the 1,500 meters in the British track and field championships at Birmingham, England, Saturday, a three-runner collision sent Steve Halliday and Tony Morrell barging onto the infield and out of the race.

In front of 11,000 fans and a live television audience, Halliday moved menacingly toward Morrell and appeared to tap his rival on the head before storming to the locker room.

Said Halliday: “He barged me out of the way. There was no reason for it. It was his fault, and I’m going to see him afterwards.”

An hour later, they shook hands.

Book Bowl: USC’s 1990 football media guide is 360 pages long and weighs 13 ounces. UCLA’s is 304 pages and weighs 18 ounces.

Tanning their hide: Will Clark, the San Francisco Giants’ first baseman, thinks he’s figured out the reason for the Houston Astros’ success in the Astrodome. He told Susan Fornoff of the Sacramento Bee that it’s because the mound is high and the baseballs are “dingy.”

Said Clark: “You can still see the balls, but you can’t pick up the seams.”

Giant Manager Roger Craig dismissed Clark’s reasoning that the Astros intentionally darken the baseballs to maximize their strong pitching, at little risk to their already mediocre hitting.

Said Craig: “If that were true, the umpires would have noticed by now.”

Rational guy: Will McDonough of the Boston Globe reminisced recently about former NFL running back Duane Thomas’ days with the New England Patriots.

At dinner one night during training camp, Thomas walked through the cafeteria line and placed a large slice of beef on his plate. Moments later, he returned the meat intact.

Someone asked: What was wrong with it?

Said Thomas: “Nothing. Just remembered I’m a vegetarian.”

Trivia answer: Each plays for an NFL team his father played for. Walt Highsmith was a tackle and a guard with the Oilers in 1972. Elijah Pitts played halfback for the Packers in 1961-69 and ’71.

Trivia correction: Wednesday’s trivia question should have read: “Which Heisman Trophy winner played for five pro teams?” Not “four NFL teams.” When John Huarte played for the Patriots in 1966-67, they were part of the American Football League, and he also played for the Memphis Southmen of the World Football League in 1974-75.

Quotebook: Boston pitcher Dennis Lamp, on the Red Sox hitting into two triple plays in one game: “(Manager Joe Morgan) told us we had to stay out of double plays, and we did.”