Notes on a Scorecard - June 1, 1995

Unlike that other World Series, the College World Series is played every year. . . .

It had a champion in 1994, Oklahoma. . . .

Eighteen of the 48 champions have been from California, and there is a good chance the number will grow June 10 in Omaha because top-seeded Cal State Fullerton, sixth-seeded USC and eighth-seeded Stanford are in the eight-team field. . . .

Fullerton won in 1979 and 1984. . . .

USC is an 11-time winner, having last won in 1978. . . .

Stanford won titles in 1987 and ’88. . . .

Fullerton will be making its ninth appearance, seventh under Coach Augie Garrido. . . .

When they arrived in Nebraska in 1979, the little-known Titans were called Cal State Disneyland. When they left, they were called champions. . . .

USC Coach Mike Gillespie scored the only run in the Trojans’ 1-0 victory over Oklahoma State for the 1961 title. . . .

USC baseball publicist Nancy Mazmanian’s father, Art, the coach at Mt. San Antonio College, was an infielder on the team that brought the Trojans their first title in 1948 at Kalamazoo, Mich. . . .

Interest in the College World Series has grown to such an extent that the entire tournament now is nationally televised. . . .

CBS will show Fullerton-Stanford on Saturday and the championship game the next week. ESPN and ESPN2 will televise the other games. . . .

Tune in and watch players who run out every ground ball, don’t chew tobacco and don’t jump in and out of the batter’s box between pitches. . . .

It seems strange that the major leagues are conducting their amateur draft today, a day before the first pitch is thrown in Omaha. Couldn’t they wait a little while and get a better read on a lot of prospects? . . .

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New jinx: The last two covers of Sports Illustrated for Kids have featured Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza. . . .

I would be more optimistic about the Dodgers’ future if Piazza could pitch as well as hit and catch. . . .

How long can the Seattle Mariners continue to win without Griffey? . . .

Lee Smith--the Angels’ 6-foot-6, 269-pound reliever--is five inches and 54 pounds bigger than Sonny Liston was when he was heavyweight boxing champion. . . .

The Angels are trying to win back fans with their attitude on and off the field. . . .

Autograph sessions at Anaheim Stadium will continue throughout the season on Sundays, and the first “Lunch With Lach,” featuring Manager Marcel Lachemann, will be in July at the Stadium Club. . . .

Some of the most interesting baseball of the year at Dodger Stadium will be played tonight when top-seeded Kennedy High faces second-seeded Carson at 7:30 for the City Section 4-A championship. . . .

Low-profile Houston Rocket Coach Rudy Tomjanovich is underrated. . . .

The Rockets will have to overcome two obstacles in Game 6 against San Antonio: The home-court disadvantage and the fact that the Spurs are facing elimination. . . .

Now that the nominations have been made, here are my picks for the NHL awards: Hart (most valuable player)--Eric Lindros, Philadelphia; Norris (defenseman)--Paul Coffey, Detroit; Vezina (goaltender)--Dominik Hasek, Buffalo; Calder (rookie)--Jim Carey, Washington; Selke (defensive forward)--Ron Francis, Pittsburgh; Lady Byng (sportsmanship)--Adam Oates, Boston; Adams (coach)--Scotty Bowman, Detroit. . . .

A funeral Mass will be said at 10 a.m. Friday at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Encinitas for Bud Brubaker, who truly the fit the description of sportsman. . . .

Brubaker, 85, was director of operations at Del Mar racetrack since 1974, an NFL official for 21 years, a Loyola University football star, and the coach of three Dorsey High baseball teams that won L.A. City titles. . . .

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The Carolina Panthers aren’t giving the Pittsburgh Steelers much for Barry Foster, former Pro Bowl running back--a couple of mid- to low-round draft picks. Foster’s history of injuries and his big contract apparently limited interest in him. . . .

Bo Derek will be on horseback Friday night at Hollywood Park, leading the post parade before the $75,000 stakes race named for her. . . .

Writer-director Ron Shelton’s next movie will feature Kevin Costner as a struggling professional golfer. Costner previously starred in Shelton’s “Bull Durham.” . . .

Riddick Bowe on his June 17 fight against Jorge Luis Gonzalez: “Gonzalez says he is a lion and he is going up against a hyena. . . . The hyena always gets the last laugh.”