Notes on a Scorecard - Aug. 21, 1991

Just when you thought Sugar Ray Leonard was gone, someone is trying to bring him back. . . .

Promoter Dan Goossen wants to rematch Leonard with World Boxing Council junior-middleweight champion Terry Norris. . . .

“I’m going to talk to Ray soon,” Goossen said. “He avenged his only previous loss when he beat Roberto Duran. He might like to try to avenge this one, too.” . . .

Most boxing people would like to see the 35-year-old all-time great make his latest retirement permanent, but Goossen believes another comeback attempt against the rising star who whipped Leonard through 12 rounds Feb. 9 in Madison Square Garden would do big business. . . .

“Ray took Terry too lightly the first time,” Goossen said. “He would train differently and come into the fight with a better attitude.” . . .

The site probably would be the San Diego Arena, where the gate for Norris’ first-round knockout of Brett Lally Saturday exceeded $200,000. Only the first Ken Norton-Muhammad Ali fight in 1973 has taken in more in San Diego. . . . The closest thing to a winner-take-all match takes place Monday night when Kelcie Banks boxes Fidel Avendano for the Forum lightweight tournament championship. The winner gets $65,000, the loser $10,000. . . .

Neither the Pittsburgh Pirates, who entered the National League in 1887, nor the Houston Astros, who joined in 1962, ever have had a rookie of the year. But that might be about to change. Their first basemen--Jeff Bagwell of Houston and Orlando Merced of Pittsburgh--are candidates this season. . . .

This is the year of the 3-and-2 count. . . .

Remember when the San Diego Padres were overloaded at catcher with Benito Santiago and Sandy Alomar Jr.? Alomar was traded to the Cleveland Indians and Santiago, who is having a disappointing season, could be on his way out. . . .

The New York Mets would be panicking if they traded Gregg Jefferies. . . .

Sadaharu Oh will be the honorary coach for the East and Roy Campanella and Don Newcombe for the West when 44 players from 28 nations compete in the International Baseball Assn. World All-Star game Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. . . .

Boston Red Sox rookie Phil Plantier bats with the most exaggerated crouch since that of former Philadelphia Phillie catcher Stan Lopata in the 1950s. . . .

Two-for-one switches are almost the rule rather than the exception when pitching changes are made. . . .

I miss listening to Tony Kubek talk about baseball. . . .

No wonder Sergei Bubka is setting world pole vault records less than an inch at a time. Every time he breaks the record, he receives a $50,000 bonus from Nike. . . .

Twelve years after he became the first person to run the 110-meter hurdles in 13.0, Renaldo Nehemiah is being given a chance to win the world championship in Tokyo. . . .

Ram Coach John Robinson has been wearing headsets for some plays during exhibitions, an indication that he will have more say in his team’s offense this season. . . .

Dept. of man bites dog: Denver wide receivers were flashing signals called by quarterback John Elway to Coach Dan Reeves on the sidelines during the Broncos’ exhibition victory over Miami Monday night. . . .

Don Shula is going to have to perform some magic with the Dolphins. Eleven of their projected starters are either injured or unsigned. . . .

A visitor to USC practice at UC Irvine the other day was Bret Johnson, the former UCLA quarterback whose brother, Rob, is a freshman quarterback for the Trojans. Bret soon will report to the opening of practice at Michigan State. . . .

Power boat racing returns to Long Beach Marine Stadium Saturday and Sunday when eight national champions compete in the International Sea Festival Grand Prix. Complaints about noise levels stopped the racing in 1983, but all entries this weekend will be muffled. . . .

Eric Lindros, 18, hasn’t played an NHL game yet, but is trying out for a spot on Team Canada in the Canada Cup and impressing the coaches. . . .

In the wake of the Soviet coup, the New York Rangers are concerned about the chances of first-round draft choice Alexei Kovalev playing for them this season. . . .

Laker General Manager Jerry West is still trying to swing a trade. . . .

UCLA’s Mitchell Butler was the leading scorer and USC’s Duane Cooper the leader in assists for the Pac-10 basketball team that went 4-2 on a recent European tour. . . .

Al McGuire may have been right about the 1988 Olympic Games, but he has gone too far when he says the U.S. team stocked with NBA players could lose in Barcelona.