Notes on a Scorecard - Aug. 3, 1994

Not too long ago in San Diego, TV cameras caught the Dodgers’ Chris Gwynn covering his eyes in the dugout while the Padres’ Tony Gwynn was batting. . . .

“That was a very important part of the game,” Chris said. “I hated to see a guy like Tony at the plate against us with so much on the line. But I have the same kind of reaction when Barry Bonds or Matt Williams comes up and there’s destruction to be done.” . . .

The difference is that Chris Gwynn is unrelated to Bonds or Williams and is the younger brother of Tony Gwynn. . . .

The Los Angeles-born, Long Beach-raised, San Diego State-educated Gwynns have the highest career batting average of any brother combination in major league history. . . .

Before Tuesday night’s game at Dodger Stadium, their average was .326--.333 for Tony and .275 for Chris. Tony, 34, has had more than seven times as many at-bats as Chris, 29. . . .

Tony was a third-round draft choice of the Padres in 1981. After Tony won the National League batting championship in 1984, the Dodgers selected Chris in the first round in 1985. . . .

“Tony was born to hit,” Chris said. “Combine that with his great work ethic and you’ve got a .333 career hitter.” . . .

Chris hit .300 for the first time last year at Kansas City, but had only 287 at-bats and was released before starting his second tour of duty as a Dodger reserve outfielder and pinch-hitter. . . .

“I’m not disappointed about my career,” Chris said. “I don’t care who your brother is. It won’t help you when you’re in the batter’s box.” . . .

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The Padres began the series with the worst record in the majors, but had a higher team batting average and a lower earned-run-average than the first-place Dodgers. . . .

Tony Gwynn’s 11-year-old son, Anthony II, has been serving as Padre batboy at Dodger Stadium. . . .

A prolonged strike might cost the Dodgers sellout crowds the last three dates of the regular season--Sept. 30-Oct. 2 against Darryl Strawberry and the San Francisco Giants. . . .

Home run hitter Matt Williams has only 13 doubles. Roger Maris had 16 in 1961, but Babe Ruth had 29 in 1927. . . .

Cal Ripken has been hit by 42 pitches during his 2,001-game streak. . . .

Former KMPC associates Steve Bailey, Bob Rowe and John Felz are preparing a 90-minute radio special on the career of the late Jim Healy. The program will air on KMPC in Healy’s old 5:30 p.m. time slot within the next two weeks. . . .

“Get Stoked on UCLA Football,” is part of the advertising campaign for the Bruins and their star wide receiver, J.J. Stokes. . . .

The PGA Championship at Riviera on Aug. 7-13, 1995, will be the fourth major played in Southern California. . . .

Leo Diegel won the PGA at Hillcrest in 1929, Ben Hogan the U.S. Open at Riviera in 1947, and Hal Sutton the PGA at Riviera in 1983. . . .

There will be a new look to the turf club and box-seat area on Oct. 5 when the 25th-anniversary Oak Tree meeting begins at Santa Anita. . . .

“World Champion Bullfrogs,” says the operator at the office of the Anaheim Bullfrogs, who won the inaugural Roller Hockey International title last year and play the L.A. Blades tonight at the Forum. . . .

Boston Bruin wing Cam Neely portrays a truck driver in the movie, “Dumb and Dumber,” starring Jim Carrey. . . .

Wayne Gretzky and Rob Blake should be the only King untouchables in any further Brett Hull trade negotiations with the St. Louis Blues. . . .

Regarding the Luc Robitaille trade, Gretzky makes suggestions, but doesn’t close deals for the Kings. You might be surprised how many other stars do the same thing for their teams. . . .

Pervis Ellison might turn out to be a steal for the Boston Celtics. . . .

M.L. Carr quickly has proven to be more than a towel-waver as Celtic general manager. . . . More than 14,000 tickets have been sold for the John R. Wooden Classic, matching UCLA-Kentucky and Kansas-Massachusetts on Dec. 3 at the 18,200-seat Anaheim Arena. . . .

However, it is no shock that pro football ticket business is down in Anaheim. The Rams have sold only 24,300 season seats, about 11,000 fewer than last year at this time. . . .

Nostalgia buffs ought to love the Classic Sports Network, a 24-hour-a-day cable channel scheduled to start operations this fall. . . .

Who is your sentimental favorite in the baseball labor dispute, the millionaire players or the billionaire owners?