Notes on a Scorecard - July 1, 1992

The United States should not have to apologize for the greatness of its Olympic basketball team. . . .

It would be an insult to the Olympic movement if the United States did not send its best eligible players to Barcelona. . . .

I prefer the present system, which lets the various sports federations decide whether professionals can compete, to that which deprived many deserving American athletes of the opportunity to participate because they could not receive even training expenses. . . .

In 1972 and ‘76, Canada refused to play in the Winter Olympics hockey tournament because of the the powerful Soviets. The objection was that the Soviets and other Communist nations were using professionals illegally while everyone else was using amateurs. The U.S. basketball team has no such unfair advantage. . .

Of course, the Dream Team is changing some standards. After its 44-point victory over Canada on Monday night, a sportscaster said: “This time it wasn’t a huge blowout.” . . .

Some of the sweetest hits in Los Angeles this year have been among the shortest--bunts by Brett Butler. . . .

The Dodgers’ 3-hour 58-minute victory over the San Diego Padres on Monday night was a good prep for the four doubleheaders they will play in six days beginning Friday. . . . Confection Night: On Monday, Tom Candiotti and John Candelaria pitched for the Dodgers and Candy Maldonado hit a home run for the Toronto Blue Jays. . . .

The best thing that could happen to the Dodgers and the rest of the National League West would be the shift of Cincinnati and Atlanta to the East and St. Louis and Chicago to the West. . . .

Please keep this a secret, but the defending World Series champion Minnesota Twins might be the most exciting team in baseball. . . .

You need only to look at the Chicago Cubs’ National League-leading earned-run average to realize that the wind has been blowing in at Wrigley Field this season. . . .

Eric Lindros should have been declared a free agent after the Quebec Nordiques’ fiasco. The way the Nordiques mishandled the entire matter, they deserved nothing. . . .

Sandy Koufax, who was absent last year, will pitch in the old-timers’ game Sunday at Dodger Stadium. . . .

Moises Alou of the Montreal Expos showed his strength by hitting a broken-bat home run Sunday. . . .

An overlooked, potential Hall of Famer is Paul Molitor, who is having another terrific season with the Milwaukee Brewers. . . .

The modern-day version of “the Walking Man,” Eddie Yost, is Tony Phillips of the Detroit Tigers. For someone who doesn’t strike fear into pitchers’ hearts, he draws an inordinate amount of bases of balls. . . .

Recommended viewing: “When It Was a Game II,” which will be shown on HBO July 13 at 10 p.m. and five other times during the month, features more home-movie footage of baseball from 1934-60. . . .

Thumbs up to Dan O’Brien, for the grace he has shown the last few days. . . .

If O’Brien had cleared 8-0 in the pole vault, he would have gone to Barcelona. . . .

Ten former UCLA Bruins--five men and five women--are members of the U.S. track and field team. . . .

Bruin gymnast Scott Keswick, a U.S. Olympian, and swimmer Andrei Cecchi, an Italian Olympian, have won $5,000 NCAA post-graduate scholarships. . . .

Three former Bruins--Corey Pavin, Steve Pate and Duffy Waldorf--have earned more than $300,000 each on the PGA Tour this year. . . .

Don’t be surprised if there is an out-of-court settlement in the Freeman McNeil-NFL antitrust case . . . .

The Houston Oilers must be serious about having a successful season. They already have signed all but six of their players. . . .

The team of Kent Steffes and Karch Kiraly will be trying for its eighth consecutive tournament championship, two short of the record, when the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals-Miller Lite tour stops at Manhattan Beach Friday through Sunday. . . .

Some of those Olympic Games profits from 1984 are going to another good cause. More than 300 inner-city youngsters will participate in a beach volleyball program July 6-Aug. 21. The Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles has built beach volleyball courts, complete with sand, at six parks in L.A., Torrance and Gardena. . . .

Love those tennis players with nerves of steel. After blowing a match point during his loss to Guy Forget at Wimbledon the other day, Jeremy Bates complained that he was distracted by a fan who sneezed. . . .

Get out to the ballpark of your choice this afternoon and show Angel and Dodger management that you want more day ball!