Notes on a Scorecard - Aug. 28, 1990

Most frequently asked question of the Angels’ ticket office and publicity department the last several days: “When is Nolan Ryan going to pitch?” . . .

The answer is tonight and if a visiting ballplayer ever deserved a standing ovation at Anaheim Stadium, it’s the noblest of all former Angels when he takes the mound where he has recorded 84 of his 301 victories. . . .

Despite that TV commercial, Ryan’s best pitch at age 43 is still his fastball. . . .

His opponent, Kirk McCaskill, was 4 years old when Ryan began his professional career. . . .

Besides having struck out 1,110 more batters than anybody else--5,246 to 4,136 for Steve Carlton--Ryan also holds major league records for most walks, 2,597, and wild pitches, 256. . . .

When Ryan was traded to the Angels for Jim Fregosi on Dec. 10, 1971, the benevolent Mets also threw in outfielder Leroy Stanton, pitcher Don Rose and catcher Francisco Estrada. . . .

A smart aleck friend reminds me that the same writers who are campaigning for the Raiders to trade for a quarterback demanded that they get Jay Schroeder from Washington a couple of years ago. . . .

Now that Phil Mickelson has won the U.S. Amateur, more left-handers should take up golf. . . .

Look for the Wimbledon winners, Stefan Edberg and Martina Navratilova, to prevail at the U.S. Open. . . .

If Bob Welch doesn’t watch out, Roger Clemens is going to snatch the American League Cy Young Award from him. . . .

Oakland is expected to make a deal for an outfielder to replace injured Dave Henderson. One possibility is Dan Gladden, the center fielder who would like to be traded by the Minnesota Twins. . . .

One theory about the lower home run totals at Fenway Park the last couple of seasons is that the construction of luxury boxes has cut down the wind. . . .

Detroit, which isn’t even a factor in the tepid American League East race, leads the major leagues in runs scored. . . .

That heist at Maywood Park race track in Illinois brought to mind a similar theft in the old Stanley Kubrick movie, “The Killing.” . . .

Southland tracks ought to make the trifecta a $1 bet. . . .

The Disneyland Pigskin Classic needs a 12-minute halftime rule. So do the Orange and Liberty bowls. . . .

The Anaheim game also needs a local team or it isn’t going to do much business at the gate. . . .

USC is favored to win its fourth consecutive Pacific 10 title in a poll of preseason football magazines. But the conference’s sports information directors are picking Washington. UCLA is ranked third in both polls. . . .

Look for Oregon State to start unusually fast. The Beavers play Montana, Kansas and Nevada Las Vegas in their first three games. . . .

The Minnesota Vikings fooled themselves if they thought getting rid of Tommy Kramer would solve their quarterback controversy. . . .

News item: Average speed for winner Al Unser Jr. in Denver Grand Prix is 71.240 m.p.h. Reaction: Don’t they go faster than that on Van Nuys Boulevard? . . .

Little Al seems to know where everybody else is on the race track at all times, his instincts being like those of Joe Montana in football, Magic Johnson in basketball or Wayne Gretzky in hockey. . . .

Texas and Texas A&M; could eventually move to the Southeastern Conference instead of the Pac-10. . . .

Quarterback Jim Kelly of the Buffalo Bills says he would play football for $5,000 a week. So would I. . . .

Former Dodger pitcher Joe Black on the hardest part about making the transition from baseball to a new career: “Accepting the fact that 85% of the contacts you made while playing were phonies.” . . .

Buster Douglas, who weighed 231 1/2 pounds the night he knocked out Mike Tyson, is in the mid-240s. That’s not too bad, considering that his first heavyweight title defense against Evander Holyfield is still two months away. . . .

The most exciting little fighter in boxing, Humberto (Chiquita) Gonzalez, retained his World Boxing Council light-flyweight title with a ninth-round knockout of hometown hero Jorge Riviera in Cancun, Mexico, Saturday night. . . .

I’m going to miss Brent Musberger on “The NFL Today.” That was the best work he did for CBS. . . .

The question about Russell White is his durability. The former Crespi High tailback injured his knee last week in a University of California practice session. . . .

I realize the Kings are looking for stability, but shouldn’t they be doing something to shore up their defense?

Forget about the Olympic Games. What Atlanta really needs is a major league baseball team.