Notes on a Scorecard - June 22, 1992

The Dodgers probably would have settled for a tie on Father’s Day. . . .

There will be no baseball at Anaheim Stadium this week, but the Dodgers do not return home until Thursday. Thank God for small favors. . . .

Tom Lasorda auditioned for the title role in the remake of “The Lonely Guy” by coaching third base Sunday at the Astrodome. . . .

Maybe pitching is overrated. In the Sunday averages, the Boston Red Sox had the best team earned-run average in the American League, the Chicago Cubs the best in the National League and the Dodgers the third best. But none of those teams had a winning record. . . .

Riddick Bowe, Razor Ruddock, Lennox Lewis and Michael Moorer should be fighting an elimination tournament to determine the next contender for heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield. . . .

Of course, that would be too logical. Instead, Bowe will get the shot if he defeats Pierre Coetzer of South Africa, as expected, July 18 at the Mirage. Bowe, Lewis and Moorer have yet to fight anyone ranked in the top 10. . . .

Just think of all the fun we could have with a Riddick-Ruddock fight. . . .

How much prestige did Holyfield lose while beating Larry Holmes Friday night in Las Vegas? One oddsmaker said he would make Bowe the favorite over the champion. . . .

Holyfield’s weakness is a lack of punching power, not passion. . . .

Remember Dean Smith’s four-corners offense at North Carolina? Holmes used a four-corners defense against Holyfield. . . .

“If Holmes fights George Foreman,” Caesars World chairman Henry Gluck said, “George Burns will sing the National Anthem.” . . .

Those posters printed by Bob Arum advertising “Champion Larry Holmes vs. Challenger George Foreman” for the heavyweight title Nov. 13 at Caesars Palace may become collectors’ items. . . .

The best fight on the card Friday was unbeaten Yory Boy Campas’ 12-round majority decision over Roger Turner. The body-punching Campas, who had knocked out 37 of his first 40 opponents, was economical, precise and surprisingly patient as he established himself as a contender for a share of the world welterweight championship. . . .

Most of the celebrities made grand entrances before the main event. Fight fan Jack Nicholson got there 2 1/2 hours early to watch the preliminary card. . . .

Nicholson’s new passion is golf. He recently shot a 77. “But be sure to mention that I also had an 87 and a 92,” he said. . . .

Tom Kite did that “Hogan” sun visor proud on closing day of the U.S. Open. . . .

ABC captured both the beauty of Pebble Beach and the horror of playing golf there. . . .

Jim McKay and Jack Nicklaus said golf galleries are getting more enthusiastic. Maybe, but pity the poor spectator who drops a pin while someone is trying to putt. . . .

Whatever happened to Fred Couples and Davis Love III? . . .

The third-place finish of Evelyn Ashford, 35, surprised me more than the sixth-place finish of Carl Lewis, 30, in the 100-meter dashes at the U.S. Olympic trials. . . .

You may never see this again: In the second race Saturday at Hollywood Park, an entry ridden by Pat Valenzuela and Eddie Delahoussaye paid a whopping $44.40, $32.80 and $11.40 for finishing 1-2. . . .

Best 3-year-old race of the year could be the Travers Stakes next month at Saratoga, where Belmont Stakes winner A.P. Indy and unbeaten Furiously are expected to meet. . . .

I predict that the New England football team calls its 1992 highlight film “Patriot Games.” . . .

The Clippers and the Denver Nuggets are the only NBA teams that have two first-round draft picks, but the Clippers are without a second-rounder because of the trade that brought them Winston Garland from the Golden State Warriors a couple of years ago. . . .

Someone will be making a mistake if Harold Miner isn’t a lottery pick Wednesday. . . .

The Lakers are returning to Honolulu for training camp next season. . . .

The addition of young players from Europe may offset the dilution caused by expansion and improve the quality of play in the NHL the next few years. Eleven of the 24 players drafted in the first round Saturday are from the former Soviet Union or Czechoslovakia. . . .

This Eric Lindros fiasco really stuns me. I mean, how could it possibly happen during the closing months of the wonderful reign of NHL President John Ziegler? . . .

No one will give cancer a tougher battle than Jim Valvano, who is so full of life.