Notes on a Scorecard - Aug. 13, 1992
It sure took them long enough, but the Rams and Raiders have come up with a pretty good idea, this football version of the Freeway Series. . . .
The first-ever Ram-Los Angeles Raider exhibition game Saturday night is expected to draw 50,000, which would be the largest preseason crowd at Anaheim Stadium since 1987. . . .
Of course, the prime attraction will be the first Southland appearance of Eric Dickerson in a Raider uniform. The only time he has played against the team with whom he built Hall of Fame credentials, Dickerson rushed for 116 yards and one touchdown in 21 carries for Indianapolis during the Colts’ 31-17 regular-season loss at Anaheim in 1989. . . .
This was also supposed to be the coming-out party for Sean Gilbert, the first-round draft choice from Pittsburgh who actually might give the Rams a pass rush this season. But he will miss the game because of a sprained ankle, delaying his Orange County public debut until the Ram kickoff luncheon Aug. 21 at the Disneyland Hotel. . . .
Funny how the Montreal Expos indirectly have turned out to be the biggest benefactors of the deal that sent Tim Belcher and John Wetteland from the Dodgers to the Cincinnati Reds for Eric Davis and Kip Gross last November. A month later, Montreal traded Dave Martinez, Scott Ruskin and Willie Greene to Cincinnati for Wetteland and Bill Risley. . . .
Wetteland is battling for the National League saves title, which is one reason the Expos have a chance to become the latest team to go from worst to first. . . .
Call to arms: Seldom has a battery been as effective as Angel pitcher Chuck Finley and catcher Ron Tingley against the Milwaukee Brewers Tuesday night. Finley shut out the Brewers on six hits for nine innings before leaving a scoreless game, and Tingley threw out four potential base stealers. . . .
The Dodgers have a player named Roberto Duran on their St. Lucie team in the Gulf Coast League. However, he is a left-handed pitcher, not a power hitter. . . .
Ramon Martinez eventually might pitch to Ramon Martinez, a highly regarded shortstop in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ organization. . . .
The Boston Red Sox are going to hit fewer than 100 home runs during a full season for the first time since 1945, when many of the regulars, including Ted Williams, were serving in the armed forces. . . .
Candy Maldonado--the former Dodger, San Francisco Giant, Cleveland Indian and Brewer--has made himself at home in Toronto. . . .
Clemente Alvarez, a catcher for Birmingham of the Southern Assn., recently went 0 for 58. Then he singled--and promptly got thrown out trying to steal second base. . . .
What made Wednesday so unusual in the major leagues was that seven of the 12 games were played in the afternoon. . . .
USC will begin football practice Saturday at Howard Jones Field and switch operations to UC Irvine Monday through Aug. 25 in preparation for the opening game Sept. 5 at San Diego State. . . .
UCLA, which will open on Sept. 12 against Cal State Fullerton at the Rose Bowl, begins practice Aug. 22. . . .
The two previous times USC came off losing seasons, the Trojans won the national championship and Rose Bowl in 1962, and the Rose Bowl in 1984. . . .
Good news: Attendance for NCAA Division I women’s basketball games increased again last season. Bad news: Average attendance was 871. . . .
Leave it to the PGA to stage its championship tournament in the stifling heat of St. Louis during the middle of August. . . .
What a sham, Butch Reynolds having his suspension from track and field extended because he fought for his rights. . . .
From New York-based thoroughbred owner and breeder Ralph C. Wilson: “Racing is overexposed. You can’t have any sport exposed six days a week for 52 weeks a year, and still make it popular.” . . .
Lennox Lewis remained unbeaten and untested Tuesday night when he knocked out Mike Dixon in the fourth round in Atlantic City, N.J. The mystery about the 1988 Olympic Games super-heavyweight champion will be solved Halloween night in London when he fights Razor Ruddock. . . .
George Foreman, who never asks to be paid for his autograph, has been offered $22,000 to spend three hours at an autograph show in San Francisco. . . .
News item: The NFL argues in court that free agency would help teams in major markets and harm those in lesser markets. Reaction: Major league baseball teams in the New York, Chicago and Los Angeles markets have a combined record of 317-363.