There Were Turkeys There, to Be Sure

John Phillips of Reuters news service was in Atlanta this week when Mike Tyson and promoter Don King’s annual five-city “Turkey Tour” visited. Tyson gave away 2,500 turkeys and checks for $40,000 to charities. That notwithstanding, here are some of Phillips’ observations:

“King and Tyson handed out the turkeys and money with all the subtlety and humility of Hollywood press agents. King and the other members of Team Tyson, including a camera crew, were loaded into buses with reporters for their several stops to hand out the turkeys. At the Bowen Homes housing projects, the turkeys were passed to King, who had a diamond-studded gold cross dangling from his neck. He then passed the turkeys to Tyson, who handed them to residents who had lined up for the occasion and greeted the former champion with cheers.

“As he handed out the turkeys wrapped in plastic bags advertising King’s next boxing promotion and listing a phone number to call for tickets, Tyson shook hands or kissed or hugged some of the people who appeared genuinely touched by the attention from Tyson.”

What a coincidence!Tyson’s “Turkey Tour” had never before stopped in Atlanta, which happens to be the hometown of Evander Holyfield, who just happened to be there training for a fight. It prompted this tactful response from Holyfield’s promoter, Dan Duva:

“I believe it is despicable for King and Tyson to come here to Atlanta for the expressed purpose of exploiting an extremely worthwhile cause for their own sleazy needs. Don King and Mike Tyson are two turkeys that Atlanta would be much better off without this Thanksgiving.”

Really Big Game: Stanford’s huge offensive line, which averages about 300 pounds, was the brunt of jokes at the annual Big Game--Stanford vs. California--luncheon Wednesday at San Francisco’s Fairmont Hotel. Said emcee Bob Sarlatte: “When the Stanford offensive line showers, it looks like the killer whale show at Marine World.”

Trivia time: What USC defensive back who played for John Robinson now works for him?

What’s in the bag?Former UCLA football Coach Tommy Prothro’s briefcase became his trademark. He carried it everywhere--uncharacteristic for a coach--but never seemed to open it. So what was in it? In the book, “60 Years of USC-UCLA Football,” authors Steve Springer and Michael Arkush solicited opinions.

“John McKay: ‘We spent most of our time trying to figure out what he had in that bag. Turned out to be a peanut-butter sandwich.’

“Gary Beban: ‘We still don’t know. He never opened it. If you find out, let me know.’

“And finally, the ultimate source, Prothro reveals the truth:

“ ‘I had things in there I hoped I never had to refer to, things to jog my memory. There were substitutions, game situations, what you wanted to do if this happened, what you would do if that happened. In the excitement of a contest, sometimes you forget things.’

“But he never did open it.

“ ‘Fortunately, I never forgot things,’ Prothro said.”

More book--McWhich?”A sportscaster mistakenly announced that ‘Jim McKay’ (instead of John McKay) had been selected as the Trojan head coach. That was the name of McKay’s brother. ‘He was a colonel flying 52s out of Spokane, and he wired me that he wouldn’t take the job,’ ” McKay said.

Final page--Too honest: “USC heavily recruited John Elway, and it looked like he might become a Trojan. But John Robinson made one big mistake. He told the truth. ‘John, you’ll play in a national championship game and a Rose Bowl, if you come here,’ Robinson said.

“ ‘Yeah, but I’ll only throw 20 times a game,’ Elway responded, fully aware of Robinson’s reputation for running the football.

“ ‘You’re right, you will only throw it 20 times.’

“Elway chose Stanford.”

Trivia answer: Jeff Fisher, defensive coordinator for the Rams.

Quotebook: Jack Nicklaus, when told that John Daly was quoted in a newspaper as saying he wants to have dinner with Nicklaus next Friday night in Palm Springs, before the Skins Game: “I don’t know anything about dinner. I don’t usually make dinner engagements through the newspaper.”