Notes on a Scorecard - July 14, 1993

I’m still not convinced, but those who believe that the American League is superior to the National, now can point to six consecutive All-Star game victories and three World Series championship out of the last four. . . .

After refusing to summon Oriole pitcher Mike Mussina from the bullpen in the ninth inning, Cito Gaston is going to be as popular as Robert Irsay in Baltimore. . . .

Only in L.A.: The Raiders have four quarterbacks and the Clippers no coaches. . . .

If the Angels’ Tim Salmon and the Dodgers’ Mike Piazza win rookie-of-the-year awards, it will be a first for the same area since the New York Giants’ Willie Mays and the Yankees’ Gil McDougald were honored in 1951. . . .

Mr. Consistency: Before this season, Brett Butler had a career average of .288 in the National League and .288 in the American League. . . .

A young player to watch is Marc Newfield from Marina High in Huntington Beach, who was called up recently by the Seattle Mariners and got three hits as a DH Sunday. . . .

The Dodger Wives on Deck will stage their first annual Food Faire in the Stadium Club following the game against Montreal Sunday. A game ticket, silent auction and selection of goodies from some of Southern California’s most renowned chefs are included in the $75 price. Proceeds will benefit CaliforniaKids, which provides health care to children from low-income families. . . .

Angel broadcaster Ken Brett insists this will be the last season for his brother George, who is having trouble at the plate and suffering from stomach problems. . . .

Tim McCarver said on a recent CBS telecast that Johnny Podres threw the best changeup he has ever seen. Most other baseball scientists say the same thing. . . .

The American Express commercial featuring those Hall of Famers deserves an award. . . .

The NFL all-interview team lost a member when Bob Golic retired. . . .

Thumbs up to tailback Russell White, the Rams’ third-round selection from California, for signing early. I’ve never understood rookies who hold out for a few extra thousand dollars and remove themselves from contention for a starting job. . . .

Craig Fertig will join Tom Kelly in the Prime Ticket booth for USC telecasts this season. John Robinson, who did the commentary on a couple of Trojans games last year, isn’t available. . . .

USC’s first Heisman Trophy winner, Mike Garrett, began his NFL career with Kansas City and now it appears that the Trojans’ most recent Heisman winner, Marcus Allen, will end his career with the Chiefs. . . .

Shaquille O’Neal’s new mentor will be Tree Rollins, the former Atlanta Hawks center who was hired as an assistant coach by the Orlando Magic. . . .

It won’t surprise me if Calbert Cheaney, the Indiana forward who was drafted by the Washington Bullets with the sixth pick on the first round, is the leading scorer among rookies in the NBA next season. . . .

The first hole at Royal St. George’s, where the British Open will begin Thursday, is known as “The Kitchen.” How appropriate for a golf course located in Sandwich, England. . . .

Clementine Daughter, a 3-year-old filly who is trained by Wayne Lukas and won a six-furlong race Saturday at Hollywood Park, is owned by Louisville basketball Coach Denny Crum. . . .

Kim Helton, whose first game as Houston coach will be Sept. 4 against USC at the Coliseum, hopes to improve the team’s academic status as well as its won-loss record. Study halls will be mandatory for freshman and all players who are having problems in the classroom. . . .

The prime question Saturday at Caesars Palace will be how much his war against Humberto (Chiquita) Gonzalez March 13 took out of light-flyweight champion Michael Carbajal, who will defend the title against Kwang-Sun Kim. . . .

Carbajal and Julio Cesar Chavez were runners-up to Riddick Bowe in the boxer-of-the-year category at the Jim Thorpe Awards on ABC Monday night. . . .

You rarely see it happen once, but the last two main events at the Forum have been ended by knockout punches to the body. . . .

Willie deWit, the Canadian heavyweight who lost to Henry Tillman in the 1984 Olympic Games finals, is a year away from earning his law degree in Edmonton. . . .

Dick Mastro’s Official Boxing Record believes that Robert Smith of Chicago is the heaviest boxer ever licensed. Smith weighed 324 pounds when he won a six-round decision over Andre Crowder, 203, on May 8. That was 20 pounds less than Smith weighed for his previous fight. . . .

If the proposed Ray Mercer-Jesse Ferguson rematch comes off, it will be time for Mercer to put up and shut up.