Notes on a Scorecard - May 13, 1991

Best sports story of the weekend: 56-year-old A.J. Foyt coming off the disabled list and posting the second-fastest time on the opening day of Indianapolis qualifying. . . .

Foyt had about as much chance as Bob Uecker of getting a seat in the front row. . . .

The question isn’t why Laker rookie center Elden Campbell is playing so much in the playoffs, but why he didn’t play more during the regular season. . . .

I’m still not sure I want Campbell on the court in the final minute of a tight game, but any of the 47 other minutes is fine with me. . . .

What the mismatches in size have done is send the Lakers to the line for 163 free throws in the four games, compared with only 105 for the Warriors. . . .

Can’t the Bay Area come up with anything more imaginative than “Beat L.A.?” . . .

Right now, the Lakers and the Chicago Bulls are playing the best basketball in the league. . . .

How can a proud, two-time champion like Detroit simply go through the motions in a playoff game at home against the Boston Celtics?. . . .

One thing I’ll miss about the Stanley Cup finals between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Minnesota North Stars is “O Canada.” . . .

If somebody told you that the Penguins would reach the championship series, wouldn’t you have thought that they would be the surprise team of the playoffs? . . .

No small part of the Penguins’ success is Coach Bob Johnson. . . .

Eddie Murray belongs in any discussion of the great modern-day hitters. It took him one year to learn the National League and then he was back terrorizing pitchers. Even when he is fooled, Murray is liable to get a hit. . . .

The most exciting thing Darryl Strawberry does these days is walk. . . .

After Friday night’s games, the Dodgers were one game over .500--and led the league in batting average and earned-run average. . . .

There hasn’t been a more pleasant or thoughtful person in the Dodger organization than Dr. Robert Woods, the former team physician who died Friday. . . .

All strikeout records will be in danger tonight when Nolan Ryan pitches against the Detroit Tigers in Arlington, Tex. . . .

Dave Henderson isn’t the Oakland player I thought would be leading the American League in home runs. . . .

Steve Howe received a standing ovation from the Yankee Stadium crowd Saturday when he got Willie Wilson of the A’s to hit into a double play. . . . Not all of the San Francisco Giants’ problems are on the field. . . .

Look-alike, courtesy of Marques Johnson: Eddie Murphy and Ram cornerback Darryl Henley. . . .

Not even his hometown fans believed in Farma Way after he finished out of the money in the mud in the Oaklawn Handicap. He paid $9 to win the Pimlico Special Saturday in the Hollywood Park betting, where morning-line maker Russell Hudak established him as the 2-1 favorite. . . .

Are there enough wagering propositions at Hollywood Park to suit you? A dead heat for first in the ninth race Saturday created 10 payoffs besides win, place, and show. . . .

Larry Robinson, who will play one more year for the Kings, is learning about the thoroughbred training business from David Cross. . . .

Steve Scott is still running sub-four minute miles. He was clocked in 3:59.51 at the Modesto Relays Saturday. . . .

George Foreman on the introductions of Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier before Foreman’s fight against Evander Holyfield: “They’re going out of the ring and I’m thinking, ‘Should I go, too?’ ”. . . .

Michael Nunn was an accident waiting to happen. . . .

The heavily favored International Boxing Federation middleweight champion was way ahead of challenger James Toney on the scorecards, but out of gas when he got knocked out in the 11th round Friday in Davenport, Iowa. . . .

Nunn suffers the first loss of his career and then he has to answer the questions of his former trainer, pay-per-view TV commentator Joe Goossen. . . . Michael Landon on selling his new series, “Us,” to CBS: “If I don’t get better, it will be their biggest mistake since baseball.”