At Least He Knows He Made a Lasting Impression on Fan

Athletes who attend autograph parties are used to being asked to sign bizarre items, so race driver Kyle Petty wasn’t too surprised when a man in Upstate New York rolled up his pants and asked Kyle to sign his leg. The next day, Petty was at another signing session in another town when he saw the same man approaching.

“He stood in line and when he got to the front, he put his leg up on the table and showed me that my signature had been permanently tattooed on his leg,” Petty said. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so flattered.”

Trivia time: Who played in the most major league games without getting in a World Series?

Just in case: If you haven’t seen enough of Michael Jordan since his farewell news conference, he will be on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” Friday.

What’s in a name? Barbara Shanks shot a hole in one with a five-wood on the 102-yard 10th hole at the Pacific Grove municipal course.

Unlikely locations: The United States Sled Dog Sports Federation is headquartered in San Bernardino, and the plant that makes the Zamboni machines, which resurface the ice at hockey and skating rinks all over the world, is in Paramount.

Knows his players: Gary Fallon, the Washington & Lee football coach, once volunteered to have a pie thrown in his face for charity. A drawing was held to determine who would throw it.

“I hope one of my senior quarterbacks is drawn, so the pie will be intercepted before it gets to my face,” Fallon quipped.

Rub your eyes: Two of the strangest sights recently were Jack Nicklaus riding in a golf cart during a senior tournament and Richard Petty, whose trademark is a cowboy hat, wearing a baseball cap at a stock car race.

Family tree: Jeff Kowalczyk, Indy Car director of corporate communications, is the son of Walt Kowalczyk, Rose Bowl player of the game as a Michigan State halfback in 1956.

No lost effort: Tommy Bolt had a reputation as the hottest club-throwing golfer who ever played the game, but Tempestuous Tommy said there was more to it than just letting them fly:

“I see young guys throw their clubs backward and that’s wrong. You should always throw a club ahead of you so that you don’t have to walk any extra distance to get it.”

Just win, baby: The Amateur Athletic Foundation’s Sports Letter reveals that the Raiders, despite their lackluster showing in the last few years, rank first by a wide margin among NFL teams in licensed product sales, such as shirts, caps and other apparel.

Oldie but goody: Everett Dickinson Jr., 103, who raced a 1928 Bentley Tourist 60 years ago, attended the 80th reunion of his Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute class recently. When told he was to receive an award as the oldest returning graduate, he said, “I usually get applause for just standing and breathing.”

He should know: Coach David Lee of Texas El Paso, who was 1-10 last year, said before the season: “If you dwell on getting fired, you get fired. If you dwell on improving and getting better, you improve and get better.”

After a 1-6 start, Lee was fired Sunday.

Trivia answer: Ernie Banks, who played 2,528 games in 19 seasons, all with the Chicago Cubs.

Quotebook: Abe Lemons, former University of Texas basketball coach: “Coaches who shoot par in the summer are the guys I want on my schedule in the winter.”