BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Shots Heard ‘Round the Ward

In celebration of the birth of his son, Daniel Aaron, Jim Gott returned to the Dodger clubhouse Saturday and passed out chocolate cigars to his teammates.

Gott missed Friday’s game but said people at the hospital kept him aware of what was happening in the Dodgers’ 3-2 ninth-inning victory.

“After Daniel was born, I got on the phone and called everybody to tell them about the baby, which is great for me because I love to talk on the phone so it was a nice excuse,” Gott said. “Then I drove home and put my daughter to bed and got on the phone and called the Dodger Stadium operator. And just as I called, (Dodger broadcaster Vin Scully) was describing Eric (Karros’) drive to left field that won the game. It was perfect timing.”

Scully later related a story about Gil Hodges when his wife gave birth to Gil Jr. Scully said that during batting practice at a Dodger game at Connie Mack Stadium, Hodges was called in and told that his wife, Joan, had given birth. “In Gil’s first at bat, he hit a home run, and it was a no-doubt-about-it homer,” said Scully, who was broadcasting the game. “So when he hit it, I said, ‘That’s for Gil Jr.’ A couple of weeks later, Joan told me that as she was being wheeled back to her room, there was a radio on, and that is the only thing she heard. She said she smiled and went into a deep sleep.”

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Fred Claire, Dodger executive vice president, said he has not been notified by any officials regarding the contents of a report that federal authorities are planning to indict Darryl Strawberry on income tax evasion. “Other than the stories that I have read, that’s all I know,” Claire said. “Nobody has contacted me. I have no comment.”

Strawberry, who has said that his income tax records from 1988-92 were subpoenaed six months ago, said he has not been subpoenaed.