Notes on a Scorecard - June 24, 1992

Welcome home, Dodgers. I did not receive any postcards, so I assume your trip the last couple of weeks was not much fun. Those 22 games at Dodger Stadium during the next 18 days should be a snap. . . .

I especially like that four doubleheaders will be played at Dodger Stadium July 3-6-7-8, as many as have been played there since July of 1982. . . .

I grew up watching Pacific Coast League doubleheaders every Sunday, either at Gilmore Field, home of the Hollywood Stars, or Wrigley Field, home of the Los Angeles Angels. The first game was nine innings, followed by what the newspapers used to call “the abbreviated, seven-inning nightcap.” . . .

This will be the longest home stand since the Dodgers arrived from Brooklyn in 1958. It was only supposed to match the 18-game stand of 1963, but four were added because of games postponed by the riots. . . .

That 1963 team won 11 and lost seven at Dodger Stadium Aug. 20-Sept. 5, without having to play a doubleheader, and went on to win the World Series. . . .

These last-place Dodgers might be able to improve their position during the next three weeks. Of the five teams they will oppose, only the San Diego Padres have a winning record. . . .

“The losing streak didn’t seem to hurt our advance sales much,” said Walter Nash, vice president of Dodger ticket operations. “We’re sold out already for July 4 and the sales the past couple of days have been exceptionally good.” . . .

The Boston Red Sox are interested in Kal Daniels. . . .

If Tim Leary indeed scuffs a baseball, he is only one of many. . . .

Thumbs up to those responsible for making Angel conditioning coach Jimmie Reese, 90, honorary captain of the American League team for the All-Star game July 14 at San Diego. . . . America’s new team is the Colorado Rockies, who have received season-ticket requests from 33 states. . . .

Before he got chicken pox, Ozzie Smith broke Roy McMillan’s record of 1,304 double plays by a shortstop. . . . The Cincinnati Reds will play 37 of their last 62 games at home. . . .

Johnny Damon, a high school outfielder who was drafted in the second round by the Kansas City Royals, is being represented in contract negotiations by his 21-year-old brother. . . .

The next great catcher might be Carlos Delgado, a Toronto Blue Jays’ farmhand, from Puerto Rico. . . .

Among the most remarkable performances in the U.S. Olympic track and field trials was the fourth-place finish of triple jumper Roy Kimble, 39, of Oakland. . . .

Please explain to me why the women’s triple jump is not contested in the Olympic Games. . . .

Twilight Agenda will try to reverse a trend Saturday in the Hollywood Gold Cup, which has been won by the highweight only once in the last nine years. Ferdinand, who was assigned 124 pounds, won in 1987. . . .

Marquetry will carry 118 pounds, eight more than last year when he upset Farma Way in the $1-million event. . . .

How good did this race used to be? Hollywood Gold Cup winners from 1956-58 were Swaps, Round Table, and Gallant Man. All were ridden by Bill Shoemaker. . . .

Despite Jeremy Bates’ upset of Michael Chang, the London bookies who gave 1,000-1 odds against a Briton winning the men’s or women’s title at Wimbledon still are in no great peril. . . .

Bjorn Borg will play at Washington, Boston and then in the Volvo-Los Angeles tennis tournament, Aug. 3-9, at UCLA before deciding whether to try the U.S. Open. . . .

If Herschel Walker is a dud in Philadelphia, at least it will cost the Eagles only his salary. . . .

For the first time, a fighter from Emanuel Steward’s famous Kronk Gym in Detroit will box a main event at the Forum Monday night. He is Jimmy Paul, former International Boxing Federation lightweight champion, who will face unbeaten junior-welterweight Carlos Gonzalez. . . .

Razor Ruddock, who fights Phil Jackson--the heavyweight fighter, not the basketball coach--Friday night at Cleveland on Showtime, is expected to be matched against Lennox Lewis in October. . . .

Julio Cesar Chavez is scheduled to defend his World Boxing Council super lightweight championship against Hector (Macho) Camacho Sept. 12 at the Thomas and Mack Center on the UNLV campus after a tuneup bout Aug. 1 at the Las Vegas Hilton. . . .

Substituting for George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard will present Muhammad Ali and Wilt Chamberlain with lifetime achievement awards at the Cedars Sinai Sports Spectacular Sunday at the Beverly Hilton. . . .

I nominate John Ziegler for commissioner of boxing. We need to get some fighting back into the heavyweight division.