Notes on a Scorecard - Oct. 24, 1995

They ought to play the World Series every year. . . .

Unlike the Super Bowl, it is usually a tightly contested event. . . .

Each of the last five World Series games, dating back to 1993, has been decided by two or fewer runs. . . .

Expect more hitting and atmosphere tonight when the action switches from Atlanta to Cleveland. . . .

Without the designated hitter rule in the National League park, pitchers were 0 for 8 at bat during the first two games. . . .

I grew tired of the tomahawk chop long ago at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, where the fans were quite reserved over the weekend. The noise level will be much higher at Jacobs Field in a city where postseason play hasn’t become commonplace. . . .

The three best play-by-play announcers in baseball--Vin Scully, Al Michaels and Bob Costas--are working the Series. If you prefer Scully, turn off the sound on your TV set and tune in KMAX 107.1 on the FM radio dial. . . .

Scully, who goes solo on Dodger broadcasts, is showing that he can allow a commentator, Jeff Torborg, to blend in nicely between pitches. . . .

Joe Morgan works well with Costas on NBC. Ditto Tim McCarver and Jim Palmer with Michaels on ABC. However, I find Bob Uecker neither funny nor informative on NBC. . . .

Camera coverage has been fine on both networks, but NBC overdid the close-ups on Manny Ramirez after he got picked off first base in the eighth inning of Game 2. . . .

Henry Aaron, who looked so youthful watching Sunday’s game, is 61. . . .

Braves’ rookie third baseman Chipper Jones and Indian shortstop Omar Vizquel fit in the “you have to see them every day to appreciate them” category. . . .

You also have to see Cleveland left fielder Albert Belle every day to appreciate what a lousy fielder he is. . . .

Look-alikes: Indian pitcher Charles Nagy and actor Ed O’Neill. . . .

The commissioner’s share of receipts from the Series so far is $770,315.2. How well deserved. . . .

*

It shouldn’t be considered such a surprise that Jacksonville already has equaled the NFL first-year expansion team record of three victories in a season and Carolina has won twice. . . .

The Jaguars and Panthers were able to do something the earlier expansion teams weren’t--sign veteran free agents whose contracts elsewhere had run out. . . .

How will USC react to its loss to Notre Dame? . . .

After their last six beatings by the Irish at South Bend, the Trojans have responded with five victories and a defeat. . . .

Of course, the assignment Saturday at Washington will be tougher than usual. . . .

I’ve received more Heisman Trophy hype in the mail on Minnesota running back Chris Darkins than any other player. . . .

Cincinnati (4-4) is tied with San Diego State (5-2) for 19th in the New York Times college football computer rankings. . . . This is the year that Miami of Ohio might be better than Miami of Florida. . . .

Remember when the Davis and Santa Barbara branches of the University of California played a prelim to the UCLA-Cal football game at either the Coliseum or Berkeley? . . .

Those days are long gone, but there will be a doubleheader of sorts Saturday when the UCLA and Cal water polo teams play at noon at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center and the football teams at 3:30 p.m. at the Rose Bowl. . . .

The Bruin men’s and women’s basketball teams will stage their Family Fan Jam on Nov. 5 at Pauley Pavilion. Admission will be free for the afternoon that includes scrimmages, drills, an autograph session and a celebrity-media three-point shooting contest. . . .

I would have preferred to hear boxing historian Mike Tyson talk about great heavyweights rather than great running backs during his interview at halftime of the San Francisco-St. Louis telecast Sunday. . . .

The McDonald’s championship, won easily by the Houston Rockets in London despite the absence of Hakeem Olajuwon, packs nearly the same suspense as the Olympic basketball tournament. . . .

ESPN does a good job with its scoreboard updates, but did we really need to know last Friday that the Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons were tied, 0-0, in the first minute of their NBA exhibition game?