ALL-STAR GAME : Nomo’s Thrill Unforgettable for Him, Peers : All-Star game: Excited Dodger arrives early and stays late while leaving a lasting impression on fans and teammates alike.

Hideo Nomo was told to stay behind at the team hotel for a few extra hours. No need to take the bus with the rest of the All-Star team.

Come on, you’re the National League’s starting pitcher, stay out of the heat and preserve your strength.

Well, take a guess who was among the first to arrive in the clubhouse Tuesday afternoon?

There was Nomo reading a congratulatory fax from Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama.

There was Nomo reading a letter from Murhyama, the grand national sumo wrestling champion.

There was Nomo walking around the clubhouse when the team bus arrived, getting everyone to autograph his two All-Star bats.

There was Nomo, standing on the field in the 96-degree temperature before the game, high-fiving nearly 100 Little League players.

There was Nomo having the time of his life.

Nomo, more relaxed than anyone has ever seen him, then walked onto the mound Tuesday and pitched just like he has for the last five weeks.

He pitched two shutout innings in the National League’s 3-2 victory before the sellout crowd of 50,920 at The Ballpark in Arlington. He gave up only one hit, struck out three of the six batters he faced, and spent the rest of the game thoroughly enjoying himself on the bench.

While the rest of the National League players headed into the clubhouse once they were removed from the game, Nomo still was in the dugout at the end, standing on the field in full uniform shaking everyone’s hand.

“I was the last guy off the field when I walked in from the bullpen,” Dodger closer Todd Worrell said, “and there was Nomo, with this grin on his face, waiting for me. I couldn’t believe it. How professional can you get?”

Said Nomo: “I didn’t want to leave. I was having too much fun. This was a time I’ll never forget.”

If truth be known, Nomo’s National League teammates were the ones who vowed they’ll forever savor the time spent with Nomo.

“This one will be the most memorable,” San Diego Padre right fielder Tony Gwynn said, “because of Nomo. Barry Bonds and I were sitting in here saying, this is one of the few All-Star games we weren’t pestered to death. All we had to do was watch Nomo. It was relaxing.

“I think that was the most impressive thing. We were watching people following him around for two days. It got to a point where he couldn’t even go to the bathroom without people following him.

“I mean, there was a camera crew that literally followed him through the door. Then, they realized it was a bathroom, and turned around. You should have seen their faces.

“I’ll be telling that story for years.”

Yet, perhaps nothing more amused Nomo’s teammates than the moment he was introduced. They watched him come out of the dugout, and immediately, took a glance down at his shoes. They were a wild, funky pair, something Barry Bonds might be seen wearing, but not Nomo.

“Those shoes caught everybody’s attention,” Gwynn said. “He started walking down the line, shaking everybody’s hand, and we’re saying, ‘Nomo, what’s up with the shoes?’

“He went in and changed them before he went out to pitch, but, man, those shoes were a trip.”

The game was a blast, Nomo said, simply because there was no pressure. The way Nomo figured it, give up a few hits, a couple of runs, what’s the big deal?

“It didn’t matter if we won or lost, it was just an exhibition game,” Nomo said, “so I wanted to enjoy himself. If I gave up some hits, I wasn’t going to worry about it. I just wanted to have fun.”

Said Chicago Cub reliever Randy Myers: “Man, it was a kick being around the dude. You know, he was even lifting weights today before he pitched. He’s my kind of guy.

“When we went on to the field today with all those cameramen, I just said, ‘Stay behind me Nomo. I’m your bodyguard. You follow me, and you’ll be all right.’

“The only thing I was disappointed in was that he didn’t go eight [innings]. I know it was against the [All-Star] rules, but hey, that’s what everybody wanted to see anyway.”

No matter, Nomo showed in two innings what everyone eagerly awaited.

He struck out the first batter he faced when Kenny Lofton chased a forkball.

Carlos Baerga singled, only to have Dodger catcher Mike Piazza throw him out trying to steal second. And Nomo ended the inning by striking out Edgar Martinez, batting .363.

“I think he’s going to do even a better job after this exhibition,” National League Manager Felipe Alou said.

“He used to have a [weakness] when men were on base because he was so slow. But after seeing him now, that doesn’t exist any more.

“I’ll tell you what, the Dodgers have done a good job developing that young man. I think what happened tonight could go a long way into making him big like Fernando was.

“If I had to take him out early tonight because he was struggling, a lot of the [Nomomania craze] would have been lost.

“It’s not like Fernandomania yet, but it’s getting awfully close.”