Leftovers From a Day at Big A

Notes, quotes and anecdotes from a long day at Anaheim Stadium.

But, first, a word from our sponsors.

* Larry H. Parker got me $2.1 million . . .

Yeah, but woe be the pro team that has to negotiate for his son’s services. Junior pitcher Justin Parker was 7-2 with a 1.34 earned-run average for Santa Margarita this season.

So coming soon to daytime TV:

Dad got me $2.1 million . . .

* Tip Lefebvre, Santa Margarita coach, found justice a bit harder to come by.

Everyone saw Brian Griffin’s fifth-inning home run, which glanced off the foul pole at Anaheim Stadium. Almost everybody.

Umpires ruled the ball hit the wall. Lefebvre made his argument, pointing out the yellow paint on the ball.

“The umpire told me that could have come from something else,” Lefebvre said. “I said, ‘Where else in this stadium is there something painted yellow? “

Come on, Tip, ever hear of the hidden paint trick? No ump is going to fall for that old bit.

* La Quinta Coach Dave Demarest had a bit more on his mind than umpires’ calls.

Besides wheeling and dealing his way to a second Division III title, he had those thoughts about retiring.

“I’ll be back at La Quinta,” Demarest said.

Why would they want him back? The guy’s program hasn’t won a freshman league title in 22 years.

* Chicago White Sox pitcher Tim Fortugno was a big reason Calvary Chapel’s young pitchers performed so well this season. Of course, nothing comes gratis .

“Tim called Friday morning to give us his ring size,” Coach Joe Walters said.

A little premature there. The Eagles didn’t even play until that night. Of course, it’s always later in Chicago. Central Daylight Time, you know.

* A preview of the next Anaheim city council meeting.

All those in favor of tearing down Anaheim Stadium and building new baseball and football facilities, raise your hands. You there in the back, wearing the Bishop Amat jacket, put your hand down and get out.

Boy, think the Lancers want to see that place again? They lose to Mater Dei by a touchdown in the Division I football championship. They lose to Fountain Valley by a touchdown in the Division I baseball game.

Bishop Amat also lost to Fountain Valley by a touchdown in the 1988 Division I football game in, yup, Anaheim Stadium.

Lancer graduate Pat Haden had a few rough days there as well.

* Does Hoot the Owl get a championship patch? The fake bird, which was first placed on the backstop at Sonora High to keep birds from eating the grass seeds, began going everywhere with the team.

In fact, players began taking the owl home.

“They started talking like it was a living thing,” Co-Coach John Link said. “They’d tell people, ‘Hoot kicked back on the couch and watched TV last night.’ ”

It’s OK, John, as long as it wasn’t Hoot giving them hitting tips.

* Announcement made all day Saturday, once each game:

The Rams are proud sponsors of the Cavalcade of Champions awards program . . .

Darn nice of Millikan High to do that.

* The happiest folks to see Fountain Valley’s season end? The Hudsons, of course, whose son Luke was a standout pitcher for the Barons.

Seems the Hudson house was Baron Central this year. Team members made it their second home, sometimes staying for hours. Imagine 20-plus growing boys popping by for the evening. Oh, doctor, the food bills.

Maybe Larry H. Parker can get them reimbursed.