Prof. Murray Must Be Proud of His Student’s Achievements

Eddie Murray recently became the 20th player to get 3,000 hits in the major leagues. Cal Ripken Jr. is closing in on Lou Gehrig’s record of 2,130 consecutive games. Two lessons in consistency and durability, and there is a connection between them.

“When I was a rookie with Baltimore, long before the streak was born, it was Eddie who taught me the importance of being there every day for the team,” Ripken told the Dallas Morning News. “He took me under his wing and taught me how playing every day gave stability to the lineup, dependability to the defense. I learned from Eddie.”

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Trivia time: What is the only high school in Southern California to have contributed two members to the baseball Hall of Fame?

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FYI: The July 14 no-hitter by the Dodgers’ Ramon Martinez was the 17th called by Vin Scully. In 1956 alone, Scully called three no-hitters, including Don Larsen’s perfect game in Game 5 of the World Series.

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Moving pangs: Barry Switzer, the Dallas Cowboys’ coach, is building a mansion near the team’s training headquarters in Irving, Tex., to replace his bachelor pad apartment. He says he needs more room to accommodate his three grown children on visits.

“I have a bottle of ketchup, two Coors Lights, mustard and some stale salami [in the apartment refrigerator],” Switzer said. “My kids don’t want to come to that. Once I get my home built, it will make it much easier.”

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Just helping out: The Philadelphia Phillies’ Darren Daulton dropped his bat in the batter’s box Sunday after being called out on strikes by umpire Joe West in the eighth inning. West picked up Daulton’s bat and put it in a tunnel leading to the umpires’ dressing room.

“I didn’t think he needed it anymore,” West said. “I’ll give it to an organization or a charity.”

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What about the buns? Pittsburgh columnist Gene Collier suggests that the Pirates buy Barry Bonds back from the San Francisco Giants, using money from corporate sponsor Heinz. Collier explains:

“All Heinz would want in return would be the opportunity to say something on the big video board in center field every time Barry comes to bat, something like, “Only one company, H.J. Heinz, can manufacture enough mustard to cover this hot dog.”

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Bird watching: Indy car driver Hiro Matsushita had a collision of an unusual sort during qualifying for the Toronto 200. A bird crashed into his helmet.

“As I came down the front straight, I saw a small black object in front of me,” he said. “My first thought was that it was a beetle. Then it hit me directly on top of the helmet. Instantly, I could smell that it was a bird. The helmet is dirty, but OK.”

But what happened to the bird?

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It’s outta here: The way home runs keep flying out of Coors Field in Denver has caused Norm Clarke of the Rocky Mountain News to suggest the home of the Colorado Rockies be renamed “The Boom Box.”

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Looking back: On this day in 1962, Angel Cordero Jr. rode his first winner in the United States, Counterate, at Aqueduct.

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Trivia answer: Fullerton, with pitcher Walter Johnson and shortstop Arky Vaughn.

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Quotebook: Juan Cruz Alli, regional premier of Pamplona, in welcoming home Miguel Indurain after the Spanish rider won his fifth consecutive Tour de France: “He’s surpassed them all, so today we can call him King Miguel of Navarre.”