Stewart Proves to Critic That Clothes Don’t Affect His Play

Don Sulhoff, a writer in Northridge and a reader of both The Los Angeles Times and the Nairobi Times, recently read a “Sport on TV” review in the Kenyan newspaper.

Discussing the BBC’s coverage of the British Open, writer Rex Bellamy wrote: “We could see that although Payne Stewart dressed like a clown, he did not play like one. Stewart’s colourful clothing almost begged for ridicule, almost defied us to take him seriously: but his golf insisted that we did.”

Add Nairobi Times: Reviewing British Channel 4’s coverage of the Tour de France’s concluding stages, Bellamy wrote:

“It was pleasant, mind you, to see cyclists granted the freedom of the Champs Elysees, where they customarily feel as welcome as climbers on the north face of the Eiger. One just hopes that Payne Stewart was not watching. That brave adventurer might find the garb worn by racing cyclists irresistibly tempting. The consequences could be horrifying.”

Trivia time: Who was the last pitcher to win an All-Star game and a World Series game in the same season?

First and last: On this day in 1951, Eddie Gaedel, a 43-inch, 65-pounder, pinch-hit for Frank Saucier of the St. Louis Browns. Gaedel, wearing No. 1/8, was walked on four pitches by pitcher Bob Cain of the Detroit Tigers and then was taken out for pinch-runner Jim Delsing.

As so often happens: If you were scoring the Midland Angels’ 5-4 victory over the El Paso Diablos in their Texas League game Thursday night, be sure you recorded that eighth-inning triple play 7-1-3-1-5.

With runners on first and third, El Paso’s Rafel Skeete hit a ball to left field that seemed deep enough to score Shon Ashley. Johnny Monell caught it, but his throw got past catcher Doug Davis and was retrieved by pitcher Mark Zappelli, who threw to first to get Casey Webster, who wandered off the bag. After the ball was returned to Zappelli on the mound, he threw to third, and the Angels appealed to third-base umpire Red Morrow, who ruled that Ashley was out for leaving the base too soon on Skeete’s fly ball.

Splitting a pair: A few hours before Philadelphia pitcher Terry Mulholland threw a no-hitter to beat the San Francisco Giants, 6-0, Wednesday night, a thief wearing a Brooks Armored Car Service uniform robbed the Phillies’ ticket office of almost $25,000.

Strike, outside corner: NCAA lawyers argued successfully that Braxston Banks, the Notre Dame running back who declared himself eligible for the NFL draft a year early, should not be allowed to return for his final season at Notre Dame.

In so doing, they warned that such a practice could cause “instability of team rosters, difficulties in apportioning scholarships, complications in scouting and recruiting programs, potential disharmony between players who are trying to use the college programs in their pro bargaining . . . (and) diversion of players’ and coaches’ energies and attention. . . . “

Alan B. Morrison, the attorney who represented Banks, responded: “I suppose if this were a baseball case, I would say there is a lot of windup and not much pitch.”

Trivia answer: Don Sutton of the Dodgers in 1977.

Quotebook: Miami Dolphin cornerback Tim McKyer, reflecting on his differences with management and coaches while with the San Francisco 49ers: “I come across: ‘Me me me me me me me.’ But I’m a team player. I always have been.”