To His Father and Grandfather, Youngest Namesake Is Just Al

Al Unser III, 11-year-old son of Al Jr., the Indianapolis 500 winner, and grandson of Al, four-time Indy 500 winner, was called Mini Al when he was younger. His father was called Little Al and his grandfather was Big Al.

When the youngster said he didn’t care for Mini Al, the family asked him what he wanted to be called.

“Just Al,” he said.

So that’s what they call him: Just Al.

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Trivia time: Which school has had the most Rhodes scholars who earned letters in intercollegiate sports?

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Numbers game: The number to watch in the American League West is 61, according to Jon Heyman of Newsday, who asks, “Will Ken Griffey hit 61 home runs? Will anyone win 61 games?”

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Hungry, anyone? Wimbledon officials expect 23 tons of strawberries to be consumed during the current fortnight of tennis. But they didn’t say how much clotted cream would go along with the traditional snack.

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One step ahead: Glenn Robinson and Jason Kidd haven’t even been drafted yet--the NBA will divvy up the college talent Wednesday--but they already have signed lucrative pro contracts.

Both signed with the Score Board for autographed memorabilia. Included in the deal are trading cards, which are already on the market--without a team affiliation.

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Solid credentials: Country singer Charlie Pride is an avid baseball fan. When a friend asked him how he happened to marry his wife, Rozene, he replied:

“Why shouldn’t I marry her? She was smart, beautiful, independent and could explain the infield fly rule.”

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Greener grass: Remember Rob Deer, who ended a 10-year career in the major leagues last year by hitting .210 for the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox?

He went to Japan, where he is playing for the Hanshin Tigers--for a reported $2.6 million.

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You tell ‘em: If you think Barry Bonds or Charles Barkley are prima donnas, how about Romario, Brazil’s World Cup star? During a TV interview, he whined about his seat assignment on a flight to Los Angeles. Team officials had reserved a middle seat for him, between fellow forwards Bebeto and Muller.

“I wanted a window seat, and I’ll sit next to whomever I want to,” he said. “I know I’m difficult, but that’s because I’m the real thing.”

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No easy trick: Golf announcer Bobby Clampett, at the United Airlines Houston Open, had this to say about the weather:

“The wind today is inside the players’ faces.”

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Added hazard: During the LPGA Oldsmobile Classic, Nancy Scranton hit a tee shot down the middle of the 18th fairway--then watched as a squirrel picked up the ball and carried it across the fairway into the rough before dropping it.

Scranton asked for a ruling and was allowed to drop her ball as near as possible to the spot where the squirrel pilfered it. She was also told that if the rodent had chewed on it, she could replace it with a new one.

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Trivia answer: Dartmouth, with 24, one more than Harvard.

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Quotebook: Al Arbour, on retiring as New York Islander coach: “Coaching is aggravation. You give the players aggravation and they give it back.”