Which player will ask for a uniform...

Which player will ask for a uniform with the number 6.8?Ignoring trademark claims of the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes baseball team, the students at Cal State Northridge will vote on whether to change the nickname of their school to the Quakes.

The decision to put the issue on the ballot next month is one of the biggest would-be slaps at the San Bernardino County region since the days when it was a running gag on the Jack Benny radio show. Each week a mythical train conductor would cry out, “All aboard, for Anaheim, Azusa and KOOK-amonga.”

Asked what would happen if the school embraces the Quakes, Cucamonga baseball spokesman Greg Scharlach said: “Well, I guess that’s why there are courts.”

If Northridge adopts the Quake theme--there’s talk of renaming its arena the Epicenter--it isn’t certain how many recruits would be scared off. But certainly the school would reap publicity by joining that pantheon of offbeat symbols, including UC Santa Cruz (the Banana Slugs), UC Irvine (the Anteaters) and, of course, Scottsdale, Ariz., J.C. (the Fighting Artichokes).

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Look who’s dissing L.A. now!It’s one thing to be slammed by San Francisco or even Seattle. But we were a bit surprised to read about another western city lamenting the influx of defecting Angelenos.

“Do we really need . . . more traffic and pollution?” the Las Vegas Review-Journal griped. “Or people complaining that we don’t have the culture and entertainment venues of Southern California? Becoming L.A. Jr. is not an attractive thought.”

Pollution? More or less? We have a hunch that what Vegas really fears is a bunch of nonsmokers moving there from L.A. Sr. and disrupting one of the last oases for tobacco-lovers.

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Speaking of Vegas-style entertainment: Now that we’re boycotting Sin City, we were excited to see a pyramid rising in Long Beach (see photo). The Southland’s own Luxor! Excitedly, we inquired where the slot machines and roulette wheels would be placed. Alas, someone told us it’s going to be a sports arena for Cal State Long Beach. But will the place be strong enough to withstand the Northridge Quakes?

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You never know where you’re going to find an antique: While shopping, Tom Fuchs found a package of corn chips that appear to date back to the 19th Century. He hasn’t had time for Sotheby’s to appraise it yet.

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The birthday that time forgot: Here’s one last send-off for the Hyatt-Radisson marquee off the Santa Ana Freeway. Mary Ellen Heiberg of Downey has fond memories of the message that appeared on Aug. 2, 1967. It said: “Due to a lack of interest, tomorrow has been canceled.”

That was fine with Heiberg, who was due to turn 40 that day, and still cites that sign as evidence that she’s 39.

miscelLAny:

Bud Furillo, former sports talk show host for several radio stations, as well as the sports editor of the old L.A. Herald Examiner, will soon be inducted into the Hall of Fame. That’s the Youngstown (Ohio) Hall of Fame in his hometown.