Baby Shaq, 12, Has Big Shoes to Fill--He’s Already a Size 14

Terry Wallace stands 6 feet 4 and weighs 220 pounds. He wears a size 14 shoe and XX-large shirts. And he’s only 12.

He’s called Baby Shaq.

Mike Phillips of the Miami Herald writes that while at Drew Elementary in Miami, Wallace averaged 18 points and eight blocked shots, adding, “There were many games in which he grabbed 30 rebounds.”

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Add Baby Shaq: “When Wallace showed up at Ruben Dario Middle School in West Dade County this fall, the assistant principal took one look at him and said, ‘Welcome to Dario. I want to be your agent.’ ”

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Trivia time: What do USC, Notre Dame and Penn State have in common regarding football uniforms?

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Look who’s here: Anthony Ingrassia, a 6-2, 300-pound Florida offensive lineman, writes a restaurant column for the school newspaper. A sampling:

“I thought there were only three kids in my family until one day my 2-year-old sister popped up from behind a tray of lasagna.”

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Oh, happy day: Bernie Lincicome writing in the Chicago Tribune: “In the garden of secret delights, few things beat passing a stretch limo with its hood up. Or a Rolex wearer asking for the time. Or noticing a Grey Poupon stain on a designer necktie.

“Unless it is Notre Dame as a candidate for the Weed Whacker Bowl.”

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Only wondering: Art Spander in the San Francisco Examiner: “If Fox TV buys the rights to Wimbledon, how does John Madden get his bus across the Atlantic?”

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Come back, Mike: Nate Williams of the Seattle SuperSonics on the new NBA hand-checking rule:

“Michael Jordan would love this. It was almost impossible to guard him when you could touch him. With these rules, he could score 100 points.”

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Tired routine: Blackie Sherrod in the Dallas Morning News: “Barry Switzer and staffers are using that old prod of Us vs. World, with many Cowboys complaining about ‘lack of respect,’ the Establishment pulling against them and all that tommyrot.

“George Allen specialized in this ruse when he coached Washington, on premise that it fires jocks into a froth, which can be converted into extra effort.

“Apparently it is cheaper than hiring a hypnotist.”

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Elementary: Marv Levy, Buffalo Bill coach: “There are two ways to get the ball from an opponent. One is a turnover, the other is stopping them on downs.

“I made an obvious point to my team that either one is fine with me.”

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Trivia answer: Players’ names are not printed on the backs of the jerseys.

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Quotebook: Golfer Ken Green, when asked which PGA tour player would win a “Jeopardy” contest: “To be honest, I don’t think we have any brains out here.”