Notes on a Scorecard - April 10, 1991

You ask a jockey what he fears most on the race track and he will tell you paralysis, not death. . . .

Bill Shoemaker survived 40,352 races. He was a horse’s best friend. He treated them gently and they showed their appreciation. But he is paralyzed because of another kind of ride. This time he didn’t have control. The pity of it all. . . .

One of the rites of spring used to be the USC-UCLA track and field meet. . . .

One team--first USC, then UCLA--usually would dominate, but this was a showcase of some of the world’s best performers. The meet usually was held on Kentucky Derby day. I would watch the two-legged runners at the Coliseum, Drake Stadium or Trotter Track and listen to the four-legged runners on the portable radio. . . .

However, I must confess that until Monday I wasn’t even aware that this was the week of a UCLA-USC meet. . . .

Well, it really isn’t UCLA vs. USC. It’s UCLA vs. USC vs. TCU vs. Houston Saturday at Drake Stadium in a quadrangular meet. On May 4, Derby Day, USC will return to Westwood for a triangular against UCLA and BYU. But no dual this year. . . .

Blame the NCAA. Schools are allowed only 14 men’s track scholarships. That’s hardly a quorum, especially at a private university such as USC where walk-ons are scarce. . . .

Things are going from bad to worse. Starting next fall, scholarships will be cut to 12.6. That .6 should be a dandy. . . .

“As if that isn’t bad enough, I’ve got to look across the street to Howard Jones Field to watch my team work out these days,” says USC Coach Jim Bush, who will be returning to the stadium where he built five UCLA national championship teams. “Three-quarters of my sprint relay team, half my mile-relay team, my only high hurdler, my only javelin thrower and a discus thrower are playing spring football.” . . .

Bush is also coaching the women’s team. The women are allowed two more scholarships than the men although there are fewer events. . . .

“It was a shock coaching the women after 39 years with the men,” Bush said. “But I love it. We’ve got some outstanding lady athletes.” . . .

Best USC-UCLA men’s matchup Saturday could be the 400 meters, where Trojan Quincy Watts, who has the third-fastest time among collegians this season, will face Bruin Mike Stevenson, who finished eighth in last year’s NCAA meet. . . .

The Bruins’ 52-meet winning streak was ended by Texas three weeks ago, but Coach Bob Larsen is still a respectable 49-1-1 in duals since succeeding Bush in 1985. . . .

Emil Zatopek--the Czech who won the 10,000 meters in the 1948 Olympic Games and the 5,000, 10,000 and marathon in the ’52 Games--will be honored by the Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles at a reception Thursday. . . .

The Kings’ problems are that they are playing only a period or two of decent hockey and coming out of the gate slowly every night against Vancouver. . . .

Only some exceptional goaltending by Kelly Hrudey got them as far as overtime Monday night. . . .

Most of the time, the less talented Canucks are out-hustling them. . . .

Can the deep Kings possibly lose a series to a one-line team? . . .

During this 50th anniversary of Ted Williams’ .406 season, just think what kind of numbers he would have hung up if he hadn’t missed the 1943-45 seasons because of World War II. He hit .356 in 1942 and then .342 when he returned in 1946. . . .

Now that Pete Incaviglia has joined Cecil Fielder, Rob Deer and Mickey Tettleton on the Tigers, will Detroit replace Chicago as the windy city? . . .

Nolan Ryan has 5,317 strikeouts, 3,306 more than National League leader Rick Reuschel. . . .

The NFL publicity directors met in Phoenix, of all places, over the weekend. . . .

Some owners would enter a donkey in the Kentucky Derby if they could, but John Mabee will be going to the other extreme if he doesn’t run Best Pal the first Saturday in May at Louisville. . . .

Cleveland, which has the second pick, may trade down in the NFL draft, which finally will be held April 21. . . .

O’Brian Alston, a linebacker from the Indianapolis Colts, could be the surprise of the Raiders’ Plan B free-agent crop. . . .

In his book, “Great Moments in Southern California Sports,” Times boxing writer Earl Gustkey recounts a conversation between bloodied Art Aragon and trainer Lee Boren between the sixth and seventh rounds of Aragon’s fight against Carmen Basilio in 1958 at Wrigley Field. Boren: “Art, if you don’t start fighting this guy, I’m going to stop it.” Aragon: “Why wait?”