Notes on a Scorecard - July 4, 1994

If he continues to pitch like he did Sunday, Fernando Valenzuela might have a future in this game. . . .

Valenzuela and Orel Hershiser dueled on the first anniversary of the death of another Dodger Cy Young Award winner, Don Drysdale. . . .

Fernando wears Philadelphia Phillie uniform No. 33, which matches his listed age. . . .

He used to wear No. 34, but how could he possibly ask Ben Rivera to switch numbers?. . . .

Scalpers who usually wave tickets outside the Dodger Stadium parking lot were holding up “I Need Tickets” signs an hour before game time. . . .

Fernando’s appearance meant nearly 20,000 additional fans. . . .

He was greeted by a standing ovation when he took the mound, but, sure enough, the same fans cheered when leadoff batter Brett Butler singled in the first inning. . . .

Fans in the right field pavilion chanted, “Meh-ee-co, Meh-ee-co.” It must have been a salute to Fernando or his native country’s World Cup team. . . .

How refreshing to see a Dodger shortstop, Rafael Bournigal, who makes most of the plays smoothly and efficiently. . . .

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Think the Angels regret having traded Dante Bichette to the Milwaukee Brewers for Dave Parker before the 1990 season?. . . .

And how do the Brewers feel about not protecting Bichette in the 1993 expansion draft and allowing the Colorado Rockies to draft him?. . . .

A National League All-Star team starting lineup without Tony Gwynn is counterfeit. . . .

Kids who refuse to choke up on their bats should watch Barry Bonds. . . .

Most underrated pitcher in the National League is Ken Hill of Montreal. . . .

Ken Griffey Jr. showed he is more than merely a slugger when all five of his hits against the New York Yankees on Saturday were singles. . . .

It’s hard to believe the Texas Rangers rank as low as eighth in home runs in the American League. . . .

The Fourth of July used to mean a Pacific Coast League doubleheader at Wrigley or Gilmore Field. Now it’s a soccer doubleheader on TV. . . .

Until the World Cup, I thought Americans took sports too seriously. . . .

Pete Sampras will be to gentlemen’s singles at Wimbledon what Martina Navratilova has been to ladies’ singles. . . .

News item: No rally lasts longer than six shots during Sampras’ victory over Goran Ivanisevic. Reaction: Sounds like one of my matches. . . .

John McEnroe is nearly as outspoken behind a microphone as he was on the court. . . .

Key to the Clippers’ deal with the Indiana Pacers could be L.A.’s acquisition of swingman Eric Piatkowski. The No. 15 pick from Nebraska can shoot. . . .

I can’t remember an NBA draft as formful as last week’s. . . .

The Lakers shouldn’t give up so soon on Doug Christie, a young player with a lot of ability. . . .

The Kings’ second-round draft pick--6-foot-5, 225-pound winger Matt Johnson--was reputed to be the best fighter in junior hockey last season. If so, maybe he should try the weak heavyweight boxing division instead of the NHL. . . .

Channel 2 sportscaster Jim Hill has been a voice of reason during the Nicole Brown Simpson-Ronald Goldman murder case. . . .

Macho Man: A Channel 4 graphic identified Jose Camacho, the salesperson who testified that he sold a knife to O.J. Simpson, as Hector Camacho. . . .

Roy Jones Jr. complains about a lack of recognition and then he apparently prices himself out of a James Toney fight that would have given him a chance to earn that recognition. . . .

Jockey Gary Stevens on Slew Of Damascus’ wire-to-wire victory in the Hollywood Gold Cup: “He was like a cool, calm jock. The pressure was on him, but he wasn’t worried about it.”. . . .

If Arcangues keeps running like he did Saturday, he might be 133-1 again in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. . . .

It is a sign of the times that the regular Friday night card at Hollywood Park drew 20,109, and the track’s premier race only 17,500 the next afternoon. . . .

Joe DiMaggio, Joe Montana, Jerome Bettis, Mike Piazza and Dominique Wilkins will be honored Tuesday night at the ninth annual Cedars-Sinai Sports Spectacular at the Century Plaza. Tom Lasorda will be the master of ceremonies. . . .

If you’re not into the World Cup, perhaps the Tour de France will be more to your liking. . . .

Shouldn’t it be the Birmingham Barons, not the Chicago Bulls, who are retiring Michael Jordan’s No. 23?