It Can Be Difficult to See the Ball When Your Life Is Flashing By

Atlanta’s Terry Pendleton on the wild man of Philadelphia, pitcher Mitch (Wild Thing) Williams:

“It’s easier after you’ve faced him a few times. After a while, you realize he doesn’t hit every batter.”

Williams on how his wildness might affect batters: “If they’re thinking about living through the at-bat, it takes their mind off hitting a little bit.”

Trivia time: Since the Pacific Coast Conference, now the Pac-10, was formed in 1916, how many schools have won or tied for the league title with as many as two defeats?

Death watch: On Oct. 8, 1908, a fan of the New York Giants plunged to his death from an elevated train station.

Fans had jammed every vantage point, straddling billboards and standing on elevated trains, to watch the Giants’ game with the Chicago Cubs for the National League pennant in New York.

“It’s the only fatality of the day,” the New York Times reported on the fan who fell, and “his vacant space (was) quickly filled.”

The Cubs won, 4-2, then beat the Detroit Tigers in the World Series, four games to one.

How about ‘Smitty?’Guard Steve Smith of the Miami Heat is conducting a contest through the Miami Herald to get a nickname.

“I like my name, but it’s sort of plain,” Smith said.

Diamonds are forever: The Montreal Canadiens finally got the Stanley Cup rings they earned in June when they beat the Kings, four games to one.

What took so long? Well, for one thing the players took quite a while selecting the style. Also, it takes time to set 46 diamonds in a ring.

Each ring has 24 diamonds--representing the club’s 24 Cups--set around a replica of the Cup, and 22 more of the gems elsewhere.

Golf’s royalty: It has been nine years since golfer Nick Price met his idol, Ben Hogan, but according to Lorne Rubenstein of the Toronto Globe and Mail, the native of South Africa and a British citizen, hasn’t forgotten:

“I was more nervous meeting him than if I were visiting the Queen of England,” Price said.

FYI: Jimmie Foxx at age 32 was the youngest major league player to hit his 500th career home run.

Come again?Jerry Coleman on CBS Radio came up this gem during Sunday’s fourth game of the National League playoffs between Atlanta and Philadelphia, with the Phillies leading, 2-1, in the seventh inning:

“The Phillies scored two runs in the fourth, but the Braves countered with one run in the second.”

Equal time: Senior tour golfer Chi Chi Rodriguez, given a vacuum cleaner at a charity banquet recently, was asked if he helps out around the house.

“No,” he said, “but neither does my wife.”

Trivia answer: Five--Oregon State, 1941 and 1957; Oregon, 1957; Washington, 1981 and 1992; UCLA, 1985, and Stanford, 1992.

Quotebook: Seattle Mariner pitcher Randy Johnson, on why he thinks his chances to win a Cy Young Award are remote: “I’m sitting up here in the Great Northwest with the owls.”