Notes on a Scorecard - April 21, 1993

Quick now, name the commissioner of baseball. You say there isn’t one? Funny, but I haven’t noticed. . . .

Attendance is up, games are being played faster and there have been some terrific early-season performances. Maybe the sport is better off commissioner-less. . . .

Philadelphia Phillie first baseman John Kruk on the team’s improved attitude: “Last season, we hated our pitchers.” . . .

Roberto Alomar of the Toronto Blue Jays always is mentioned among the best players in the American League, but another young second baseman, Carlos Baerga of the Cleveland Indians, has become an even more productive hitter. . . .

Alomar and Baerga are products of the San Diego farm system. The Padres’ starting second baseman on opening day was 29-year-old rookie Jeff Gardner. . . .

Vin Scully will receive the Danny Goodman Award on May 2 at the Friars Club in Beverly Hills. . . .

I will miss the excitement, humor and accuracy that Bill King brought to Raider broadcasts. . . .

The San Francisco 49ers didn’t fool many people with their supposed efforts to keep Joe Montana. . . .

Give a slight edge to the New Orleans Saints in what amounted to a trade of free-agent fullbacks with the Chicago Bears--Craig (Ironhead) Heyward for Brad Muster. . . .

The Bears are interested in drafting USC wide receiver-kick returner Curtis Conway. . . .

What used to be the UCLA-USC dual track and field meet has been expanded into the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Meet and the Southern California Showdown on Saturday at Drake Stadium. . . .

Competition among the Bruin, Trojan and Arizona men’s and women’s teams will be scored on both a dual and triangular basis. The Showdown will feature some of the best athletes from the CIF Southern and L.A. City sections. . . .

Jim Bush’s USC men are 4-1 in dual meets, their only defeat coming to none other than Fresno State. . . .

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For perhaps the first time, the Kings are stocked with young defensemen--Rob Blake, Alexei Zhitnik and Darryl Sydor. . . .

George Kingston, who was fired as coach of the San Jose Sharks, proved that sometimes nice guys do finish last. . . .

The caliber of the play in the world hockey championships, now being conducted in Germany, hasn’t been the same since the NHL began signing young foreign talent. . . .

In comparison to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, the Florida Panthers seem pretty dull. . . . However, I can’t wait to see the Anaheim Bull Frogs of the roller hockey league that begins play July 2 at what Michael Eisner calls the Pond. The Bull Frogs will be coached by Chris McSorley, brother of Marty. . . .

Mary Lou Retton will receive a lifetime achievement award at the eighth annual Cedars Sinai Sports Spectacular on May 23 at the Century Plaza Hotel. . . .

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Is Boris Becker simply rusty or is he getting bored with tennis? . . .

I’ve always thought the racegoers deserved a week off between meetings, but Hollywood Park is raring to go with its summer session that begins today. The opening week highlight is the Californian on Saturday that is part of the American Championship Racing Series. . . .

Hollypark management can gain some friends by starting races promptly at post time, unlike Santa Anita. . . .

Julio Cesar Chavez should be too persistent for Pernell Whitaker on Sept. 10 when they fight for Whitaker’s World Boxing Council welterweight championship and the unofficial title of world’s best pound-for-pound. The new Alamodome in San Antonio will seat 75,000 and tickets are scaled from $1,000 to $10. . . .

Look for an announcement that the Forum and Bob Arum will co-promote a July 17 card in Las Vegas featuring light-flyweight champion Michael Carbajal vs. Kwangsun Kim of South Korea; International Boxing Federation lightweight champion Freddie Pendleton vs. Jorge Paez and Oscar De La Hoya in a 10-rounder vs. an opponent to be determined. . . .

Two local fighters will be involved in world title fights Monday--World Boxing Assn. junior-lightweight champion Genaro Hernandez of Los Angeles vs. Raul Perez at the Forum and Hector Lopez of Glendale vs. WBC lightweight champion Miguel Angel Gonzalez in Augas Calientes, Mexico. . . .

The next great backcourt in the NBA could be Tim Hardaway and Latrell Sprewell of the Golden State Warriors. . . .

Sprewell is the former Alabama guard who was taken 24th in the first round by the Golden State Warriors, eight spots after the Clippers picked La Salle guard Randy Woods. . . .

How important is the home-court advantage in the playoffs? The team with the advantage won 14 of 15 series last season, the exception being Seattle’s upset of Golden State in the first round. . . .

Best new hamburger commercial: The one with Michael Jordan and Larry Bird. . . .

Worst new hamburger commercial: The one with A.C. Green and Vlade Divac.