Notes on a Scorecard - June 11, 1992

Tom Lasorda just might take Tom Candiotti up on his offer to start both games for the Dodgers during one of their four doubleheaders in six days at Dodger Stadium early next month. . . .

“I’ll consider it,” Lasorda said. “Why not? If anybody can do it, a knuckleball pitcher can.” . . .

The last Dodger pitcher to start twice in one day was Don Newcombe in 1950. In the first game against the Phillies at old Shibe Park in Philadelphia, he pitched a three-hit shutout. In the second game, he was losing when he left after the seventh inning, but he got off the hook when Brooklyn came back to win. . . .

The last knuckleball pitcher to start twice was Chicago White Sox left-hander Wilbur Wood in 1973. But that wasn’t by design. Wood worked the second game only because he didn’t survive the first inning of the opener. . . .

Lasorda remembers pitching three games in two days one winter in the Puerto Rican League. During a Saturday night in Caguyas and a Sunday afternoon in Ponce, he pitched 26 innings and compiled a 2-1 record. . . .

Unlike the Elvis Presley stamp, the proposed tubby Lasorda statue in Schenectady, N.Y., beat the thinner version in balloting conducted by a radio station. . . .

During “Think Blue Week” next year at Dodger Stadium, I want to be the fantasy beach ball puncturer. . . .

Of Brett Butler’s 59 hits, 23 have not left the infield. . . .

The Angels would prefer to have outfielder Tim Salmon, 23, spend most of the season at Edmonton of the Pacific Coast League, but his numbers suggest an earlier call-up is possible. In 56 games, he has a .365 batting average, 13 home runs, 61 runs batted in, a .711 slugging percentage, 49 runs scored, 40 walks and no errors. . . .

It was 54 years ago today that Johnny Vander Meer threw the first of his two consecutive no-hitters. It might be the toughest record in the book to break unless somebody can get consecutive starts next season against the Florida Marlins, Colorado Rockies and the Marlins again. . . .

Steve Fireovid, who had a cup of instant coffee with the Texas Rangers this season, is back with Oklahoma City of the American Assn. His 132 minor league victories are the most of any active pitcher. . . .

Mark Gastineau finally fought someone who could hold up his hands, and the former New York Jet defensive end didn’t win a round while dropping a five-round decision to Tim (Doc) Anderson Tuesday night in San Francisco. . . .

George Benton, who is training Evander Holyfield, on Larry Holmes: “Age means nothing. A baby can scratch your eye.” . . .

Sign of the times: Because of uncertain TV scheduling, USC hasn’t been able to announce the kickoff times for four of its five home games next season. The Notre Dame game will start at 5 p.m. Nov. 28 at the Coliseum. The others will start sometime between 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. . . .

The last time USC had a basketball player drafted in the first round, but not a football player, was 1979 when Cliff Robinson was chosen by the New Jersey Nets. In fact, Harold Miner will be the first Trojan picked on the first round of the NBA draft since Robinson. . . .

UCLA gymnasts Scott Keswick and Chainey Umphrey, and former Bruin Chris Waller, will compete in the U.S. Olympic trials this week in Baltimore. . . .

Look-alikes: Jerome Kersey and Denzel Washington. . . .

The Volvo Tennis/Los Angeles tournament is a stop on the men’s tour, but Monica Seles will be the featured attraction Aug. 3 when she plays a celebrity exhibition match that will benefit the Revlon/UCLA women’s cancer research program. . . .

Sonny Vaccaro, former director of the Nike camp, will conduct the first Academic Betterment and Career Development Camp July 5-8 at UC Irvine. The top 120 high school basketball players in the United States and the top 20 in Europe have been invited to attend. . . .

When I was in high school a few decades ago, some of us used to dream about a matchup between the L.A. City and CIF Southern Section football champions, something that will become a reality when the first CIF Reebok Bowl is played Dec. 18. . . .

The average payday of Best Pal, who might be out for the year because of an injury, has been $149,000 in 23 races. . . .

Among the beneficiaries of the air fare wars are organizers of the National Scholastic Track and Field Championships, who have brought athletes from 43 states to Birmingham High in Van Nuys for the meet Friday and Saturday. . . .

The one team Charles Barkley should captain is the NBA all-interview team. . . .

Maybe one of the other Sutter brothers is interested in the Kings’ coaching job.

After being praised for two hours, having a special song sung to him by Tony Bennett and receiving a medal from former President Reagan at a dinner benefiting the Richstone Family Center, Times sports columnist Jim Murray said, “Did I die?”