Notes on a Scorecard - May 6, 1991

The turning point Sunday at the Forum came when Chris Mullin took a seat on the Golden State bench in street clothes. . . .

Not that the Lakers need any help to win a series that shouldn’t last more than five games. . . .

Advice to the New York Knicks: Keep Patrick Ewing and hire Patrick Riley. . . .

On NBC Sunday, Riley sounded very much like a man who wants to coach again. . . .

You knew the Indiana Pacers were in tough when Larry Bird returned to the Boston Celtics’ lineup in the third quarter of Game 5 after smashing his face. . . .

However, things have changed in Boston Garden, where two key calls in the last minute actually went against the Celtics. Red Auerbach never would have allowed that. . . .

Leave it to the Atlanta Hawks to come up empty in a big game. . . .

The Kentucky Derby set up perfectly for a horse that wasn’t there, Dinard. . . .

Like Fly So Free, Dinard would have been sitting just off the pace. But, unlike Fly So Free, he would have overtaken the leaders in the final eighth of a mile. . . .

The Derby didn’t do much to tarnish the reputation of the Southern California-based 3-year-olds. Best Pal finished second, Mane Minister third and Green Alligator fourth. . . .

Excuse of the day: After finishing 10th aboard favored Hansel, jockey Jerry Bailey said, “Maybe this isn’t a warm-weather horse.” The humidity in Louisville Saturday was 87%, but the temperature only 75 degrees. . . .

ABC’s Al Michaels should have added, “I believe in miracles,” after picking Mane Minister, an 86-1 shot. . . .

I hope Al backed up his win bet. Mane Minister paid $25.60 to show. . . .

Orlando Canizales put on a masterful exhibition of the lost art of footwork during his successful defense of the International Boxing Federation bantamweight championship against Billy Hardy Saturday. . . .

Famous last words from Hardy, who was knocked out by Canizales in the eighth round: “He can’t hurt me.” . . .

All the dignity that George Foreman and Evander Holyfield brought to boxing is being wiped out by Mike Tyson and Razor Ruddock. . . .

Kicker Ali Haji-Sheikh should have played in the WLAF game between New York-New Jersey and

Raleigh-Durham. . . .

The Edmonton Oilers might have made a mistake when they traded Vladimir Ruzicka to the Boston Bruins for Greg Hawgood in October. Ruzicka scored eight points in the first two games in the Wales Conference championship series against the Pittsburgh Penguins. . . .

Too bad Cal State Long Beach and USC had to travel all the way to Honolulu to decide the NCAA men’s volleyball championship. Only 2,859 witnessed the 49ers’ upset victory in a match that was played Saturday night, but didn’t make the Sunday paper because of the time difference. . . .

Whittier College attackman Brian Pollock set an NCAA Division III lacrosse record for points and assists this season while leading the Poets to a 20-0 record. . . .

The Pacific Coast League Historical Society’s sixth annual reunion will be held Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Clarion Hotel in Carson. Among those expected to attend are former players Roger Bowman, Carmen Mauro, George (Catfish) Metkovich, Irv Noren, Paul Pettit, Rudy Regalado, Joe Stanka, Bobby Talbot and Bobby Usher and former umpires Cece Carlucci and Chris Valenti. . . .

Darryl Strawberry’s hitting hasn’t been too bad--in comparison to his fielding, that is. . . .

Between them, Strawberry and Mark McGwire have hit as many home runs as Rick Dempsey this season. . . .

The Dodgers’ victory over Philadelphia Sunday wasn’t televised here because CBS was showing a game and competition is allowed only from the superstations. . . .

Oh well, at least we didn’t have to watch Lenny Dykstra chew tobacco. The major leagues ought to copy the rookie and Class-A leagues’ ban on tobacco chewing. . . .

The California League game in Bakersfield Wednesday night, with Orel Hershiser pitching for the home club against Reno, should be a hot ticket. . . .

Look-alikes: Nolan Ryan and the only major leaguer to pitch consecutive no-hitters, Johnny Vander Meer, as pictured in the current issue of Sports Illustrated. . . .

Those Ryan commercials for Advil are showing their age. He is identified as being 43, not 44. . . .

Rickey Henderson-bashers should keep this in mind: After breaking Ty Cobb’s American League record last year, Henderson gave the base to his first minor league manager, Tom Trebelhorn of Milwaukee. After tying Lou Brock’s record, he gave the base to Oakland Athletic President Walter Haas. After breaking Brock’s record, he dedicated his performance to the late Billy Martin. . . .

News item: Angel General Manager Dan O’Brien says he hasn’t returned a call from Fernando Valenzuela’s agent Tony DeMarco. Reaction: That is neither good manners nor good baseball sense.