‘In the Red Corner . . . Oh, Forget It’

Samson Elitegym, a fighter from Thailand who stopped Australia’s Colin Kid Nelson to win the vacant World Boxing Federation junior bantamweight title on Saturday in Bangkok, has an unusual surname.

Samson, 22, took his last name from the gym where he trains.

His real name? Get ready, this might take a while: Saenmuangnoi Lookchaopormahesak.

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Trivia time: What is the record for most yards gained by a team rushing against UCLA?

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Soothing sounds: Bay area baseball fans with a taste for classical music can momentarily forget the lost season with some chamber music, courtesy of the San Francisco Chamber Symphony.

The symphony will honor tickets for remaining Giant and Athletic games.

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Fallout: Another victim of baseball’s shutdown is the Northfield Falls, Vt., wood company that makes small replica bats.

Since the strike began Aug. 12, Moot Wood Turnings’ business has virtually disappeared, forcing layoffs and cutting back time for other workers.

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Dorsett’s legacy: In regard to football awards and accomplishments, Tony Dorsett stands alone, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

“No other player--not (Walter) Payton, not Jim Brown, not O.J. Simpson--have won the Heisman Trophy, a college national championship, the Super Bowl and been inducted into the college football and pro football Halls of Fame. Just Tony Dorsett.”

Simpson comes close, only the Super Bowl eluding him. Marcus Allen, another former USC tailback, qualifies in the first three categories and is on the waiting list for the college and professional Halls of Fame.

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Add Dorsett: He scored on an NFL-record 99-yard run against the Minnesota Vikings in a Monday night game in 1983. The Cowboys had only 10 players on the field.

“That shows you how much coaching has to do with running,” Tom Landry said.

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Direct approach: Marc LaForge of the Edmonton Oilers on the one-year, $3-million contract signed by goalie Bill Ranford:

“The only way I’ll ever see $3 million is with a sawed-off shotgun and a ski mask.”

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Ho hum: Television commentator Bud Collins on Americans not embracing tennis because most of the top players are foreigners:

“Who are more boring than golfers? But they all have nice American names.”

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Ready to play: Nick Canepa writing in the San Diego Union-Tribune: “Marge Schott wanted to bring up minor league players to finish the season. The Padres already would have a team in place.”

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Looking back: On this day in 1948, Pancho Gozales, 20, won the U.S. Lawn Tennis Assn. men’s singles title with a three-set victory over Eric Sturgess.

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Trivia answer: 723, by USC in 1929.

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Quotebook: Charles Barkley, on nixing his retirement plans again: “The (Phoenix) Suns know they’re only going to go as far as I can take them. They can’t win without me or they wouldn’t have wanted me back.”