After 2,310 Misses, They Need a Homer

Baseball tryout camps are nothing new. Nearly every major league team holds them, but the Colorado Silver Bullets have specialized theirs. The professional women’s team is conducting a special tryout “for home run hitters” next Sunday at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y.

“All comers are invited, but particularly all comers who happen to be over 6 feet tall and have pop in their swings,” said the announcement.

Why? Because in two seasons of play, the Silver Bullets have had 2,310 at-bats without a home run.

*

Trivia time: Who is the defending champion in the Ralph’s Senior Golf Classic, which will be played Oct. 20-22 at Wilshire Country Club?

*

Now it starts: The Florida Beachdogs of the Continental Basketball Assn. apparently wanted to be the first to board the O.J. gravy train. The club issued this statement Monday:

“It was reported by [media outlets in the Palm Beach area] that the [Beachdogs] had inquired to the West Palm Beach office of F. Lee Bailey in regard to O.J. Simpson working for the team as a television analyst this coming season.

“The Florida Beachdogs have made preliminary inquiries into whether Mr. Simpson is available. The team has not made any formal offers of employment to Mr. Simpson via Mr. Bailey’s office. No final decisions regarding Mr. Simpson have been made by the franchise.”

*

Scorekeepers’ nightmare: The Air Force’s Beau Morgan rushed for four touchdowns and passed for one, and UTEP’s freshman quarterback John Rayborn passed for five touchdowns and ran for another in a 56-46 Air Force victory last Saturday. The teams combined for 1,145 yards of total offense.

*

Best forgotten: In USA Today, columnist Rudy Martzke reported that Mike Lupica, then of Newsday, had predicted on ESPN’s “Sports Reporters” last June: “Disney will buy the L.A. Clippers and Pat Riley will become the coach.”

*

Way to go, Buddy: It figures that the only person left unimpressed by Cal Ripken’s consecutive-games record would be Phoenix Cardinal Coach Buddy Ryan.

“The only time I can remember missing a day of work was for the Asian flu back in 1957,” he said.

*

Silent treatment: The Good Doctor, in Inside Sports, was asked what else Eddie Murray will be remembered for beside his 3,000 hits.

“Three thousand ‘No comments,’ ” he answered.

*

One man’s view: Bernie Lincicome of the Chicago Tribune isn’t impressed with the wild-card addition to major league baseball’s playoffs.

“It is like shooting from the red tees, finishing first in the overweight division of a marathon, or being good at mixed doubles,” he wrote.

*

Close the door: The National People’s Assembly of China has passed a comprehensive sports act that includes a provision making sports doping a criminal offense, according to the Amateur Athletic Foundation’s SportsLetter.

“Anyone supplying drugs to athletes can face prosecution, while athletes found guilty of doping can be suspended or banned from sports competition,” the report said.

The new rule was a response to a rash of doping among Chinese athletes, 31 of whom tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 1994.

*

Trivia answer: Jack Kiefer.

*

Quotebook: Shaquille O’Neal, on why he wants to stay with title contender Orlando despite becoming an attractive free agent after this season: “I don’t need money. I need rings.”