In This Debate, the Brit Knew When to Quit

When the British Open was held in Troon, Scotland, in 1989, an American writer was asked by a British colleague if he had ever covered the event.

The American said that it was his first British Open, to which the Brit replied: “Old boy, we call it The Open here. We’re 35 years older than your Open.”

A few days later, the American writer asked his British friend if there used to be a U.S. B-24 bomber base near Troon during World War II. The Brit confirmed that there was such a base.

“I guess you Brits were glad that it was here,” the American said. The British writer raised a glass in a toast, and said, “Touche, old boy.”

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Gold standard: The 675 gold medals to be won during the Olympic Games in Barcelona will be the real thing--for the first time--according to the organizing committee. The gold medals cost nearly $3.5 million and will be worth keeping, with a value of $5,000 each.

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More gold: Any Spanish gold-medal winner will get additional material benefits worth 8 million pesetas (nearly $80,000) from the Spanish Olympic Committee.

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Trivia time: When was the last time an American won the 1,500 meters at the Summer Olympics?

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Elgin the great: Tommy Hawkins’ recent comment that Elgin Baylor was the greatest basketball player he ever saw reminded The Times’ Dan Hafner of an old Baylor story.

Scotty McDonald was coaching Loyola when he buttonholed Hafner one night.

“I’ve always told my players when they were rebounding to jump up and stay there until I told them to come down,” McDonald said. “I have seen the man who can do that.”

He was referring to Baylor, in his first season at University of Seattle.

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Rip city: Robert Milbourne, executive director of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, is trying to get a new ballpark for the Brewers. The team’s owner, Bud Selig, has said the team will look for a new home if the stadium isn’t built.

In pressing his point, Milbourne told Marcia Berss of Forbes: “Without major league sports, Milwaukee would be like Des Moines.”

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Hot under the collar: Umpire Bill Hohn ejected an Atlanta Brave fan during a recent game after the fan made an obscene gesture. Hohn had already evicted Atlanta Manager Bobby Cox for protesting a third strike called on Terry Pendleton when the umpire saw the fan behind home plate making a hand motion. Hohn asked a security guard to escort him out.

The fan, calling himself only “Billy,” was not actually asked to leave the park. He was relocated about 30 rows higher in the section.

“Maybe I deserved it,” said Billy, who acknowledged making the gesture. “But I was angry with the call. And it’s a free country.”

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Trivia answer: Mel Sheppard in 1908.

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Lt. Mailman: When Karl Malone was in Portland, Ore., for the Tournament of the Americas, he mentioned that he had always wanted to be in the armed forces. Oregon National Guard officials heard the comment and presented him with a certificate making him an honorary member of the Oregon National Guard.

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Quotebook: Charles Barkley, now with the Phoenix Suns, on why he couldn’t have played again for the Philadelphia 76ers: “Suppose your wife says that she’s been shopping around all summer looking for a better husband, but would take you back if she couldn’t find one.”