Notes on a Scorecard - July 12, 1995

Some attraction, that Hideo Nomo. . . .

He pitched in an exhibition game Tuesday night and the announced crowd of 50,920 was 23,357 higher than the average this year at The Ballpark in Arlington, Tex. . . .

The Nomo-Randy Johnson strikeout duel was great theater for two innings. Too bad they each couldn’t have pitched one more. . . .

A lot of people in Southern California must have adjourned to the dining room when Nomo’s stint ended. . . .

It is hoped that they returned to their easy chairs in time to see Mike Piazza deliver one of the most powerful uppercuts since Joe Louis. . . .

Frank Thomas is listed at 6 feet 5 and 257 pounds, but plays bigger than that. . . .

Thumbs up to National League Manager Felipe Alou for being unafraid to give his Montreal Expo pitcher, Carlos Perez, a quick hook in the seventh inning. . . .

What a year it has been for UCLA. . . .

The Bruins won the NCAA basketball championship, alumnus Corey Pavin won the U.S. Open, and alumnus Jeff Conine hit the decisive home run in the All-Star game. . . .

ABC’s Al Michaels showed that he hasn’t forgotten how to call a baseball game. . . .

The Angels could do worse than to make a trade to bring Jim Abbott back to Anaheim. He is 4-4, but his 3.35 earned run average is the lowest on the Chicago White Sox pitching staff. . . .

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The $20 million facelift at the Rose Bowl that has been approved by the Pasadena City Council is long overdue. Just ask UCLA football fans. . . .

TufWear, the manufacturer of boxing headgear used in the Olympic Games, has made a prototype for use in professional bouts. George Foreman, the foremost supporter of such gear, will check it out. . . .

Reader Bill Walker of Tustin takes exception to our recent item about the late Pancho Gonzalez having gone to Manual Arts High. . . .

“Pancho lived on 76th St. between San Pedro and Main and attended Fremont,” Walker writes. “I used to see him play bare-footed and with a very inexpensive racket on the Fremont courts.” . . .

Genaro Hernandez lives in Mission Viejo, but is training at the Brooklyn Street Gym in East L.A. for his Sept. 9 bout against Oscar De La Hoya at Caesars Palace. “I love the smell of the city,” Hernandez explains. . . .

Cigar probably will remain in the east and skip the $1 million Pacific Classic Aug. 13 at Del Mar, but he is one of 18 horses still eligible for the race. . . .

The University of San Francisco made a good choice when it picked Phil Mathews as basketball coach. Mathews’ Ventura College teams won 10 Western States Conference titles in 10 years and won at least 30 games seven times. . . .

Unlike most magazines, Inside Sports doesn’t rank USC in its preseason college football top 10, but has Washington fifth behind Florida State, Nebraska, Florida and Texas A&M.; . . .

I’ll be surprised if free agent Deion Sanders doesn’t re-sign with the San Francisco 49ers after receiving a stockpile of offers from other NFL teams. . . .

The second annual Jackie Robinson Celebrity Golf Classic will be July 31 at the Wilshire Country Club. . . .

At least 15 former PGA champions, including 1994 winner Nick Price, are expected to participate in the annual champions’ clinic Aug. 8 at Riviera Country Club. . . .

Tiger Woods didn’t contend for the Western Open title last week, but finished ahead of Corey Pavin, Peter Jacobsen, Davis Love III and B.J. Singh, among others. . . .

The FILA Pro Basketball Summmer League will start today at 12:15 p.m. at the Pyramid in Long Beach, where four games will be played daily through Aug. 2 except for July 20 when none are scheduled. Among those participating will be Mitchell Butler, Todd Day, Lucious Harris, Ken Norman, Lamond Murray and Pooh Richardson. Because of the lockout, the teams will not have NBA sponsors. . . .

There are eight teams from Canada and five from the United States in the Canadian Football League. . . .

There are three teams from Texas and five from outside Texas in the Texas League. . . .

UCLA junior Michele Donahue interviewed her father Terry, the football coach, on the public access television show “Bruin Talk” recently and did a splendid job.