Notes on a Scorecard - Aug. 2, 1994

The Angels should have lowered themselves from the heavens and agreed to play the Seattle Mariners in Tacoma this week. . . .

After all, the Angels played all their home games in 1961 in a minor league park, Wrigley Field in Los Angeles. . . .

The San Francisco Giants began at Seals Stadium, former home of the Pacific Coast League’s Seals. . . .

Seattle’s first American League team, the Pilots, played at Sick’s Stadium, former home of the Rainiers. . . .

The Brooklyn Dodgers played 10 games in each of the 1956 and ’57 seasons at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City. . . .

Oh well, at least minor league prices will be charged at Anaheim Stadium tonight through Thursday, $6 a ticket. . . .

Ken Griffey Jr. has hit 18 home runs in 44 games at the Kingdome and 18 in 57 games on the road. . . .

There will be a rare freeway doubleheader Thursday, the Dodgers vs. Houston at 1 p.m. and the Angels vs. Seattle at 5:35 p.m. . . .

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Despite all the complaints about realignment, the only runaway divisional race is in the New York Yankees-dominated AL East. . . .

Al Downing’s highest baseball salary was $65,000 in 1977, but he says he isn’t jealous of the present-day millionaires. . . .

“What does bother me is that so many players come to the major leagues prematurely,” said the former Yankee, Oakland, Milwaukee and Dodger left-hander. “They’re learning how to play in the majors now, instead of the minors.”. . .

I loved the reckless abandon Raul Mondesi showed on the bases when he scored from second on a passed ball in the Dodgers’ series against the Astros. Now, if he can just show a little less reckless abandon at the plate and stay away from some of those outside breaking pitches. . . .

The Aug. 12 strike date had a lot to do with the Milt Thompson-Tom Edens deal between Philadelphia and Houston being the only one made on waiver deadline day. . . .

On old-timers’ night at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, a young-timer, Taylor John, son of Tommy, earned a standing ovation with his singing of the national anthem. . . .

Look-alikes: Jim Eisenreich and Lou Gehrig. . . .

In appreciation of their efforts, USC is offering Coliseum construction workers two free tickets for the Trojans-Washington Huskies game Sept. 3. . . .

The Chargers ought to keep wearing the attractive, throwback uniforms they displayed Saturday in the Hall of Fame game at Canton, Ohio. . . .

Thumbs up to Del Mar management for signing the match race between sprinters Soviet Problem and Cool Air on Aug. 21. Racing needs more imagination. . . .

Dr. Robert Kerlan is out of intensive care at Centinela Hospital Medical Center after four months and seven surgeries. Hollywood Park Chairman R.D. Hubbard has had a satellite dish installed so that Kerlan can watch the races. . . .

If Bud Grant made the Hall of Fame, then Marv Levy can’t be too far behind. . . .

Forrest Gump isn’t the only All-American football player from the state of Alabama named Forrest. Remember Forrest Blue, the San Francisco 49ers’ old center from Auburn?. . . .

A lot of NFL coaches are opposed to the new 30-yard-line kickoff rule because it means more runbacks and chances for injuries. . . .

Best fight this year could be James Toney-Roy Jones Jr. bout Nov. 19 at a site to be announced, probably not Las Vegas. . . .

It would take some doing on his part--such as beating Michael Chang and Richard Krajicek along the way--but Brad Gilbert could face new pupil Andre Agassi in the final at the L.A. Open on Sunday at UCLA. . . .

The California state heavyweight championship will be resurrected tonight when Jeremy Williams of Long Beach fights Mark Wills of L.A. at the Grand Olympic. Hollywood Legion Stadium regulars from the 1950s will remember state title bouts involving such local favorites as Willie Bean, Young Jack Johnson, Frankie Daniels and Dale Hall. . . .

Former All-American volleyball player Julie Bremner has become the first UCLA female student-athlete admitted to the UCLA Medical School. . . .

Jim Harrick became a grandfather Thursday when son Monte’s wife Melanie gave birth to 8- pound 10-ounce daughter Morgan Paige. . . .

Once again, I’m devastated that there was no defensive-player-of-the-game balloting at the Magic Johnson all-star game at the Forum, won by the Magics, 168-166. . . .

It is hard to believe that Sergei Bubka went two years between outdoor pole vault records. . . .

Sorry, Shaq, but Dream Team I would beat Dream Team II by X points.