Notes on a Scorecard - May 30, 1994

People at Dodger Stadium are saying that Raul Mondesi reminds them of the prototype right fielder, Roberto Clemente, so I went to the club level Sunday to talk to an authority on the subject. . . .

“Mondesi has a lot of the same attributes that Clemente had,” Al Campanis said. “The kid can hit, throw and run. He’s more powerful than Clemente, but Roberto was so incredibly quick.”. . .

When Campanis was a Brooklyn Dodger scout in 1953, he conducted a tryout camp at Sixto Escobar Park in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Of the 71 players who showed up, Clemente was the only one who earned a contract. The 18-year-old kid just out of high school hit deliveries from a Triple-A pitcher over the left, center and right field fences. . . .

“He had more talent than any player that age I had ever seen,” said Campanis, who was crushed when the Dodgers lost him in the draft the next year to the Pittsburgh Pirates. . . .

Clemente had a .317 batting average in 18 seasons before dying in an airplane crash on the last day of 1972, but might have been best known for his throwing arm. . . .

Clemente’s season high for assists was 27 in 1961. Not even one-third of the way through his rookie year with the Dodgers, Mondesi has 11 assists. . . .

“Barring injury, Mondesi’s going to be a star,” said Campanis, echoing what he said about Clemente 41 years ago. . . .

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Now let me get this straight. The Atlanta Braves didn’t re-sign Otis Nixon because they wanted to make Deion Sanders an everyday player and Sunday they traded Sanders to the Cincinnati Reds for Roberto Kelly? . . .

That timekeeper at Utah Sunday--didn’t he work the Raider-New York Jet game last year at the Coliseum? . . .

Patrick Ewing got only four times as many rebounds as points Saturday. . . .

Much of my interest in the Indy 500 evaporated when Mario Andretti fell out of contention early. Oh well, at least Andretti won the 500 once. Sam Snead never won a U.S. Open and Pancho Gonzalez never won a Wimbledon singles title. . . .

ABC’s pictures were better than its commentary. . . .

When he faces Bien Bien among others in the $500,000 Hollywood Turf Handicap today, Arcangues will attempt to become the first Breeders’ Cup champion besides Sunday Silence to win a Grade I race the following year. . . .

“I feel we have the two best horses in the country in this race, so let them carry the same weight and prove who is better,” racing secretary Martin Panza said after assigning Arcangues and Bien Bien each 124 pounds. . . .

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The Riddick Bowe-Larry Donald bout July 15 will be the first fight at Hollywood Park not involving jockeys. . . .

There are two ways to look at Oscar De La Hoya’s latest performance. . . .

The pessimists say his defense is porous and his chin is weak because he was knocked down by Giorgio Campanella in the first round Friday at the MGM Grand. A journeyman named Narciso Valenzuela also floored De La Hoya in the first round in October. That was a flash knockdown, but this time he was hurt after getting clipped on the jaw by a left hook. . . .

The optimists say the 1992 Olympic gold medalist demonstrated poise, resiliency, and punching power by climbing off the canvas, keeping his aggressive opponent at bay with a jab, and stopping him in the third round. . . .

“I refuse to lose,” De La Hoya said. . . .

He also showed a mean streak by landing a four-punch combination while Campanella was on the floor near the end of the second round. That brought back memories of Rocky Marciano pounding on a fallen Don Cockell one night at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco. . . .

The fight I want to see is James Toney-Roy Jones for the super-middleweight championship. Promoter Bob Arum is trying to line it up for Oct. 1. . . .

Jones flashed uncommon hand speed during his second-round knockout of Thomas Tate. . . .

Rafael Ruelas had target practice, scoring 212 bull’s-eyes in 533 seconds against Mike Evgen. . . .

The Kings will pick seventh in the NHL draft. The Hockey News ranks Jason Wiemer--a 6-1, 215-pound left wing in the mold of Cam Neely--as the seventh-best prospect. . . .

USC’s victory in the NCAA men’s tennis tournament was its 89th national sports championship, the most for any school. . . .

Mary Pierce is proof that father doesn’t always know best. . . .

Vin Scully on the deal that sent Deion Sanders to Cincinnati: “I’m surprised that Marge Schott traded for someone who wears an earring.”