That’s OK, Ludwig, You Don’t Have to Give the Medal Back

Michele Verdier, an International Olympic Committee spokeswoman, said in Courchevel, France, Sunday that, contrary to previous reports, the official Olympic anthem is not Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.”

She said the hymn is actually a 19th Century piece by a Greek composer that, according to the Olympic Charter, was approved by the IOC at its session in Tokyo in 1958.

That is the hymn that will be played, not only at the opening and closing ceremonies of the Albertville Games, but also in the event of victory by athletes of the “unified team” from the former Soviet Union. The situation could change by the Summer Games at Barcelona, where the republics’ anthems probably will be played when “unified team” athletes win gold medals in individual sports.

Paying the price: Kent Mitchell of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that University of Georgia Athletic Director Vince Dooley bagged a $1,000 dove.

How so?

By bringing it down with a previously unfired, limited edition .12-gauge Browning automatic shotgun, a collector’s item.

“A friend said that first shot took $1,000 off the value of the gun,” Dooley said, “so that dove cost me $1,000.”

Trivia time: What is the highest medal total compiled by a U.S. team at the Winter Olympics?

Reeling in the years: Nolan Ryan, who soon will begin his 26th major league season, celebrated his 45th birthday Friday.

For perspective, consider that Ryan will be throwing 90-m.p.h. fastballs for the Texas Rangers at the same time his former teammate on the New York Mets, 47-year-old Tom Seaver, will be inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame.

Ryan told T.R. Sullivan of the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram that he can’t spend a lot of time dwelling on his achievements because “I’ve got to get all these commercials and other stuff done before I go to spring training.”

Add Ryan: Ryan’s birthday horoscope, as compiled by Joyce Jillson, indicates that he will be traded by the Rangers to a team that will be in the pennant race. Ryan’s horoscope calls for “a new job in April.” It also says, “Your reputation brings a terrific opportunity in September.”

Frequent fliers: The Penn State women’s basketball team is playing 19 road games in 13 states, including Alaska. According to Mary Jo Haverbeck of the Penn State sports information department, the team will travel 21,090 miles by air and land and cross the Mississippi River eight times before the season is finished.

The man in white: Blackie Sherrod of the Dallas Morning News describes the outfit that Raider owner Al Davis wore at a news conference in Minneapolis after the announcement of his selection for the pro football Hall of Fame: “He wore a white sweater, stark white slacks, black patent leather slippers. Repeat, patent leather. Mind you, there was four feet of snow outside! And his curious little topknot of hair was carefully molded atop his balding pate.”

Add Davis: Sherrod wrote: “No one denies Davis has left his mark on professional football. Detractors point out that smallpox also leaves a mark.”

Trivia answer: Twelve medals, at the 1980 Games in Lake Placid, N.Y. Six were gold--five from skater Eric Heiden and one from the “Miracle on Ice” hockey team.

Quotebook: Larry Brown, former San Antonio Spur coach, on speculation that he might surface at Nevada Las Vegas: “(Former Denver Nugget Coach) Doug Moe called me and said he heard that he and I were going to Vegas and that I was going to be his assistant. I told him he probably planned that because he stays there so much.”