Notes on a Scorecard - Jan. 18, 1994

When the office lights finally came on Monday morning, an invitation to attend a baseball banquet next month caught my eye. . . .

“Quakes,” it said in big letters. . . .

The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the California League are going to have their second annual “Winter Warm Up” Feb. 6 at the Ontario Red Lion Inn. . . .

The Quakes set all kinds of attendance records last season and I’m sure the affair, emceed by Steve Garvey, will be delightful, but I really wish they would change their nickname. . . The same goes for the Miami Hurricanes, Tulsa Golden Hurricane, Iowa State Cyclones, and Tampa Bay Lightning. . . .

Most innovative touchdown celebration of the year was that of Kansas City Chief tight end Keith Cash, who threw the ball smack in the face of a Buddy Ryan banner at the Astrodome. . . . The Raiders reached the AFC championship game five times in a row during the 1973-77 seasons, but the Buffalo Bills would set a record with a fourth consecutive victory. . . .

Mike Ditka said that the Houston Oilers had an effective rushing attack for the first time in the history of the organization. What about the Earl Campbell days? . . .

If the San Francisco 49ers’ first 15 plays are scripted, why do they bother to huddle? . . . The postponement caused by the earthquake Monday cost Forum fans a chance to see former Laker and UCLA Bruin Trevor Wilson, who scored 25 points in 38 minutes in the Sacramento Kings’ loss to the Phoenix Suns Saturday night. . . .

Walt Hazzard, former UCLA coach and All-American guard, will be honored during the alumni spotlight ceremony Thursday at Pauley Pavilion before the Bruin-Arizona game. . . .

Hazzard is executive director of the Los Angeles Sports Academy, a program designed to improve academic performances of inner-city students and uses basketball as a teaching tool. . . .

You know it’s a crazy college basketball season when Duke and Arizona lose at home on the same night, as they did last Thursday. . . .

The NCAA presidents did pass one piece of intelligent legislation, that allowing undergraduates who make themselves eligible for the NBA draft to keep their remaining college eligibility if they announce plans to remain in school within 30 days after the draft. . . .

Isiah Thomas’ addition to Dream Team II means that he should finally be able to represent his country in international competition after being named to the 1980 U.S. Olympic team that boycotted the Games at Moscow. . . .

Portland point guard Rod Strickland appears to be reaching his potential. . . .

Washington, which was delighted about running back Napoleon Kaufman’s decision to return for his senior year, is recruiting better than expected after having been put on probation. . . .

Julie Krone, the greatest women’s jockey, hopes to return to racing in June. She suffered a broken ankle and other injuries in a spill Aug. 30 at Saratoga. . . . Sam Balter, 83, will be inducted into the Southern California Broadcasters Hall of Fame Feb. 9 at Lakeside Country Club. . . .

Balter played basketball at UCLA before competing for the U.S. in the 1932 Olympic Games and was best known as the voice of the Bruins and for the “One for the Book” feature on his nightly 15-minute radio broadcasts. . . .

Those who believed expansion would make for more wide-open games are surprised that NHL scoring is at its lowest pace since the 1977-78 season. . . .

Alexander Kharlamov--son of the late Soviet Union star Valeri Kharlamov--is ranked second among European NHL prospects. . . .

Pro wrestling, featuring Latin performers, is on the Grand Olympic Auditorium schedule. . . .

Bob Richards, 68, the only two-time Olympic pole vault champion, says he recently cleared 12-6. . . .

Son Brandon Richards, a terrific high school vaulter before he was plagued by injuries, will try a comeback in the Sunkist Invitational on Feb. 19 at the Sports Arena. . . .

There are fewer quality fighters than ever, but the World Boxing Council rankings go 30 deep in each division. . . .

A sleeper in the Dodgers’ Eric Davis deal with Detroit could be young pitcher John Da Silva. . . .

Tom Lasorda and Fred Claire are adamant that Mike Piazza will remain a catcher and not be switched to third base, where some baseball people believe he would have a longer career. . . . “Joe Ferguson told me last year that I should give Mike a rest,” Lasorda said. “I said, ‘He doesn’t have a bat long enough to hit a home run with from the dugout.’ ”