Notes on a Scorecard - April 19, 1994

Chan Ho Park will be a great story some day, but the first few chapters shouldn’t be rushed. . . .

He needs seasoning in the minor leagues. . . .

I still don’t understand the baseball schedule maker. Both local ballparks will be empty today, the Dodgers and Angels being engaged in the East. . . . Firing Manager Jim Lefebvre sure has turned the Chicago Cubs around. . . .

The question is not whether the Atlanta Braves’ Greg Maddux will win 20 games this season, but whether he will become the first pitcher since Denny McLain in 1968 to win 30. . . .

The Sunday averages showed 11 American League teams with earned-run averages of at least 4.55. . . .

Among the surprises Sunday in Pittsburgh was that the Dodgers’ 19-2 beating of the Pirates lasted only 2 hours 57 minutes. That night, the Baltimore Orioles’ 6-5 victory over the Texas Rangers took 4 hours 4 minutes. . . .

The Ballpark in Arlington, Tex., is nice, but I can’t figure out if it wants to be Royals Stadium, Camden Yards or Tiger Stadium. . . .

No less an authority than Vin Scully says rookie Raul Mondesi has the best throwing arm of any Dodger since Carl Furillo. . . .

Furillo and Roberto Clemente occasionally threw out runners who had lined balls into shallow right field. . . .

University of Pennsylvania freshman catcher Kevin O’Malley is the son of Dodger President Peter O’Malley. . . .

One of the top collegiate prospects is Southern Mississippi infielder Tommy Davis, who is no relation to the former Dodger. . . .

The Dodgers will be saluted by the L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce and L.A. Sports Council at a luncheon Thursday at the Westin Bonaventure. . . .

The Angels made a sound move when they hired Tom Romenesko, former farm director for the San Diego Padres, as special-assignment scout. . . .

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I can see Juwan Howard being effective in the NBA next season, but not his fellow Michigan undergraduate, Jalen Rose. . . .

The New York Giants might take San Diego State wide receiver Darnay Scott in the first round of the draft Sunday. . . .

Look-alikes: Troy Aikman and a young Mickey Mantle. . . .

Add look-alikes: Former USC Coach Larry Smith and an older Mickey Mantle. . . .

L.A.-Anaheim is without a team in the NBA or NHL playoffs, but all five New York-New Jersey teams qualified--the Knicks, Nets, Rangers, Devils and Islanders. . . .

They ought to name a boulevard for Al Unser Jr. in downtown Long Beach. . . .

Jeff Lukas visited the Santa Anita stable area Sunday for the first time since being run down Dec. 15 by Kentucky Derby contender Tabasco Cat. . . .

Chris Antley, who has 62 victories and 39 second-place finishes during the Santa Anita meeting, doesn’t lose many photo finishes. . . .

The handicap division might bounce back at Hollywood Park. Breeders’ Cup Classic surprise Arcangues is due to return for the John Henry Handicap on May 1 and The Wicked North is penciled in for three stakes, among them the Hollywood Gold Cup on July 2. . . .

Jackie McCoy’s unbeaten Carlos (Famous) Hernandez has signed a promotional contract with the Forum, where he will fight Narciso Valenzuela next Monday on the undercard to Julio Cesar Borboa’s defense of the International Boxing Federation super-flyweight title against Jorge Luis Roman. . . .

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As the 10th anniversary of the 1984 Olympic Games in L.A. approaches, it is remarkable how many participants in the boxing competition became important pro fighters. . . .

Among them are Evander Holyfield, Pernell Whitaker, Lennox Lewis, Meldrick Taylor, Virgil Hill, Frank Tate, Mark Breland, Jeff Fenech, Paul Gonzales, Henry Tillman, Tyrell Biggs, Francesco Damiani and Hector Lopez. . . .

Lewis of Canada and Fenech of Australia didn’t even win medals in ’84. . . .

Holyfield, who will defend his heavyweight title against Michael Moorer on Friday at Caesars Palace, was limited to a bronze medal in the light-heavyweight division because of a controversial disqualification in the semifinal match against Kevin Barry of New Zealand. . . . Lopez, who will fight Rod Sequenan on Saturday at the Olympic, attended Glendale Hoover High, but represented Mexico and lost the bantamweight gold medal match to Maurizio Stecca of Italy. . . .

Somebody should tell Carl Lewis, who is in his 15th season as a world-class performer and is aiming for the 1996 Olympic Games, that sprinters aren’t supposed to have long careers.