Notes on a Scorecard - June 22, 1994

Advantage, Houston. . . .

The Rockets will play the New York Knicks tonight at the Summit and home teams have won 11 of the 14 seventh games in the NBA finals. . . .

Besides, the Rockets have the best player, Hakeem Olajuwon, and that gives them the slight edge over the team with the best coach, Pat Riley. . . .

The first to score 90 should win. The highest total by a loser in the series has been 89 by New York in Game 3. . . .

No Knick except Anthony Bonner, who has made both his shots, is shooting as high as 50% for the series. . . .

Two days off between Games 6 and 7 in the same city are one too many.

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If eagle-eyed Brett Butler argues about a third strike during the sixth inning Monday at San Diego and I’m umpire Ed Montague, I have second thoughts about the call. . . .

Few Dodgers have been as popular with teammates, sportswriters and broadcasters as Tim Wallach. . . .

Catcher Jorge Fabregas, who was optioned to Vancouver after batting .283 in 46 games, was to the Angels what second baseman Garey Ingram was to the Dodgers. . . .

The Seattle Mariners have the most exciting hitter, Ken Griffey Jr., and pitcher, Randy Johnson, in baseball. . . .

Mr. T, a former toughman contest champion, will work Jeremy Williams’ corner Friday night when the Long Beach heavyweight fights Bert Cooper at the Grand Olympic. . . .

The Olympic and the Forum, neither of which is packing ‘em in, are staging shows on Friday night. . . .

John Jackson, Forum boxing vice president, says the decision to switch from the usual Monday night programs because of television commitments was made before Bob Arum began promoting at the Olympic. . . .

The best mixed doubles team at Wimbledon is Jim Lampley-Billie Jean King in the HBO television booth. . . .

Before the history-making upset Tuesday, King had given Lori McNeil a chance to upset Steffi Graf. . . .

Tennis might not be a great sport for statistics, but the number of aces served by Pete Sampras on opening day, 25, was impressive. . . .

Will the United States be shut out in golf’s Grand Slam for the first time? Stay tuned for the British Open July 14-17 at Turnberry in Scotland and the PGA championship Aug. 11-14 at Southern Hills in Tulsa. . . . Too bad Jack Nicklaus was in the TV commercials, not the U.S. Open playoff, Monday. . . .

The July issue of Golf Digest, which went to press long before the U.S. Open began, has a feature on Ernie Els’ swing. . . .

The Amateur Athletic Foundation, a legacy of the 1984 Olympic Games, is offering free swimming lessons this summer. Youngsters 7-17 can sign up at nearly 100 pools operated by Los Angeles County or the cities of L.A., Long Beach, Santa Clarita, Carson and Carpinteria. . . . Seamus Malin, the lead World Cup analyst for ABC and ESPN, is director of the international students’ office at Harvard. . . .

Group E of the World Cup reminds me of the old Patrick Division. . . .

Garrett Gomez, the talented young jockey who has been campaigning in the Midwest and rode Southern Rhythm in the Kentucky Derby, soon will move his tack to Southern California. . . .

Wayne Lukas has been told that if Tabasco Cat runs in the Swaps Stakes July 23 at Hollywood Park, the purse will be doubled to $400,000 because of race conditions pertinent to winners of Triple Crown events. . . .

It’s funny that Green Bay can afford to build luxury boxes at its football stadium and L.A. can’t. . . .

Marvin Goodwin, the safety from UCLA drafted in the fifth round, could be a steal for the Philadelphia Eagles. . . .

Terry Donahue will conduct his annual football camp next Sunday through Thursday at Spaulding Field. Guest instructors include James Washington and Gaston Green. . . .

The UCLA summer basketball prospectus has arrived in the mail. The opening game will be an exhibition against the Hungarian national team Nov. 17 at Pauley Pavilion and the early highlight the Wooden Classic at Anaheim Arena that matches the Bruins against Kentucky, and Kansas against Massachusetts on Dec. 3. . . .

Former Laker and Loyola-Marymount coach Paul Westhead will bring the George Mason Patriots into Pauley on Dec. 22. . . .

Less than three months until the opening of NHL training camps.