Notes on a Scorecard - Oct. 8, 1991

The first goal ever scored by the Los Angeles Kings set the tone for the franchise. It went into their own net. . . .

Fifty-two seconds into the first period on Oct. 14, 1967, King defenseman Bob Wall knocked a Philadelphia Flyer shot out of the air and beneath the left hand of nervous rookie goaltender Wayne Rutledge. . . .

Wall later put one into the Flyer net, and the Kings rallied for a 4-2 victory. Only 7,035 fans watched at the Long Beach Arena, and the next morning the game story was buried beneath reports of O. J. Simpson leading top-ranked USC to a 24-7 victory over Notre Dame at South Bend. . . .

That turned out to be the first of 24 consecutive seasons in which the Kings have failed to advance past the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. . . .

Even so, progress has been made and chances are excellent that the first goal they score tonight in the opening home game of their 25th season will land in the Edmonton Oilers’ net. The Kings were third in the NHL in scoring last season. They could move up a spot or two with Jari Kurri rejoining Wayne Gretzky on a line with Tomas Sandstrom. . . .

Business also has picked up appreciably over the years. . . .

The Forum season-ticket sale has reached 12,500. Opening night 24 years ago, tickets were $6, $5.50, $5, $4, $3 and $2.50. Tickets tonight--all 16,005 of which have been sold--are $250, $55, $42.50, $40, $32.50, $19 and $10. . . .

Consider yourself a knowledgeable hockey fan if you recognize many of these names from the Kings’ opening night roster at the Long Beach Arena--Forwards Gord Lobossiere, Brian Smith, Howie Hughes, Terry Gray, Real Lemieux, Lowell MacDonald, Bryan Campbell, Ted Irvine, Eddie Joyal, Bill (Cowboy) Flett and Brian (Killer) Kilrea; defensemen Bill White, Jacques Lemieux, Dave Amadio, Dale Rolfe and Wall; goaltender Rutledge. . . .

Can you imagine Tom Lasorda being fired by the Dodgers at midseason and then managing the Giants the rest of the year? That’s what happened to Leo Durocher, who died Monday, in 1948. . . .

The Atlanta Braves’ season is a rousing success, no matter what happens in the National League playoffs. But the Pittsburgh Pirates won’t be so delighted if they fall short of the World Series for the second consecutive season. . . .

National League batting champion Terry Pendleton of the Braves might have sat out the final day of the season, but he had 108 more at-bats than runner-up Hal Morris of the Cincinnati Reds. . . .

Vin Scully, who usually doesn’t editorialize, lashed out at those Dodgers who complained about how other teams performed against the Braves down the stretch. . . .

Darryl Strawberry urging Fred Claire to sign Bobby Bonilla is in the Los Angeles superstar tradition of Magic Johnson and Wayne Gretzky being involved in player-personnel decisions. . . .

Cecil Fielder and Jose Canseco ought to break their tie for the American League title in a home run derby. . . .

Excuse me if I can’t get too excited about the claustrophobic Minnesota Twin-Toronto Blue Jay series. . . .

Perhaps the most remarkable pitching performance ever at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore was turned in by Tom Cheney of the Washington Senators in 1962. He struck out a record 21 Orioles in 16 innings. . . .

Cheney threw 228 pitches that game for Mickey Vernon’s Senators. Think any present-day manager would allow him to throw that many? . . .

The only four major leaguers who played in every game this season are Mark Grace, Joe Carter, Cecil Fielder and, of course, Cal Ripken Jr. . . .

Marketing director for the Tourist Office of Spain, which is working on the 1992 Olympic Games, is Olympia Leichner. . . .

News item: Oak Tree to slash daily purses an average of $29,000 daily. Reaction: There is too much racing compared to the dollars to bet. . . .

One thing I like about NFL telecasts is the absence of sideline reporters. . . .

New Orleans linebacker Pat Swilling is the new Lawrence Taylor. . . .

While older brother Marcus Allen spent another day on the Raiders’ injured list, Damon Allen threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more in the Ottawa Rough Riders’ 42-25 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders. . . .

Strange, isn’t it, that two of the eight Canadian Football League teams are nicknamed Rough Riders and Roughriders. . . .

Another former UCLA coach, Tommy Prothro, underwent hip replacement surgery two weeks after John Wooden had done so and is convalescing at his home in Memphis, Tenn. . . .

Time of possession: New Mexico 30:38, Fresno State 29:22. Final score: Fresno State 94, New Mexico 17.