Her Life Is An Open Book--Until Story Gets Published

Charles Barkley once wrote his autobiography and then complained that he was misquoted. Tennis star Mary Pierce might have gone one better. After writing her autobiography, instead of taking it on the traditional book tour, Pierce has appealed to a French judge to ban its publication.

With a decision still pending, “Mary Pierce: My Life On Court, Off Court” quietly made its way into French bookstores this month.

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Add Pierce: The change of heart does not involve her father, Jim, whom she said caused her years of physical and mental abuse. Her suit cites only two controversial passages--one about her hearty appetite; the other, her passion for Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

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Trivia time: The PGA Championship is coming to the Riviera Country Club next month for the second time. Where else in the Los Angeles area has it been played?

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Upset about upset: The Mexican press was outraged over Mexico’s 4-0 loss to the United States on Sunday in the U.S. Cup ’95 tournament.

“The United States Humiliates Mexico,” blared a headline in the newspaper La Jornada, which added that the players were “a true disaster.”

“What a Nightmare,” said the sports daily Esto. “The performance of the Mexicans was a disaster worth any kind of criticism, considering that they lost the way they did, despite any explanation . . . because they left the impression of being incapable and unprepared to play this sport.”

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Trend developing: Corey Pavin, who finished second in the Kemper Open a week before winning the U.S. Open, is the third consecutive Open winner to have finished second the week before. Last year’s Open winner, Ernie Els, was second at Westchester, as was Lee Janzen in 1993.

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A long, long time: The Angels’ Marcel Lachemann and Florida’s Rene Lachemann are the first set of brothers to manage in the major leagues at the same time since Harry and George Wright in 1879.

Harry managed Providence and George managed Boston in the National League.

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Looking back: On this day in 1980, Freddie Patek, one of baseball’s smallest players, hit three home runs and a double to lead the Angels to a 20-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox in Fenway Park.

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Trivia answer: Hillcrest Country Club in 1929, won by Leo Diegel.

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Quotebook: Former U.S. Open winner Lee Janzen, on Corey Pavin’s 238-yard, four-wood shot on the final hole Sunday to win the Open: “If he was a sniper, Corey could shoot a flea between the eyes from a hundred yards.”