Notes on a Scorecard - Dec. 25, 1995

The phone caller who left a message at the office Saturday was angry. . . .

“Those New York fans are jerks,” he said after watching them throw snowballs at anything that moved on the field or stood still on the sidelines during the San Diego Chargers’ victory over the Giants. “They’re the worst. Something like that never would happen here.” . . .

Such a short memory. . . .

With one out in the bottom of the ninth inning on Aug. 10, umpires stopped play at Dodger Stadium, ordered the teams off the field, and forfeited the game to the St. Louis Cardinals, who were leading, 2-1. . . .

Snowballs weren’t thrown at the players, but baseballs and other things were on “Autograph Ball Night” after a few calls went against the Dodgers. . . .

The Cardinal right fielder, John Mabry, said two liquor bottles hit him. . . .

A Dodger, Chris Gwynn, said he was hit in the head by an apple while kneeling in the on-deck circle. . . .

The Dodgers are planning to give out coupons redeemable for baseballs, rather than the actual baseballs, on “Autograph Ball Night” next season. . . .

Unfortunately, the New York Giants can’t outlaw snowballs. . . .

However, the football game officials should be less patient the next time the fans turn ugly, and, like the umpires at Dodger Stadium, call it a day before somebody gets hurt badly. . . .

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The Oakland Raiders lost their last four home games this season. . . .

The Los Angeles Raiders never lost four home games in a row during their 13 years of existence. . . .

Good luck to Don Shula and the Miami Dolphins in the cold against the Buffalo Bills, who were able to rest Jim Kelly and Bruce Smith, among others, during a meaningless loss to Houston on Sunday. . . .

Christmas might have come a few hours early for Green Bay when Pittsburgh’s Yancey Thigpen dropped what would have been a game-winning touchdown pass in the end zone, but the Steelers were still alive only because they got what appeared to be a very generous spot for a first down. . . .

Brett Favre makes my all-tough guy team at quarterback. . . .

In fact, he also makes my all-performance team. . . .

It’s hard to believe that Indianapolis Colt quarterback Jim Harbaugh had a higher pass efficiency rating this season than Johnny Unitas ever had in Baltimore. . . .

The Kansas City Chiefs are the first 13-game winners in the AFC since the Buffalo Bills in 1991. No AFC team has won more games since the Miami Dolphins were 14-2 in 1984. . . .

Don’t try to tell the Giants that Charger linebacker Junior Seau has lost a step. . . .

The Giants never will be Super Bowl-bound with Dave Brown at quarterback. . . .

Not many Chicagoans predicted Northwestern would reach the postseason and the Bears wouldn’t. . . .

Has a home crowd ever cheered a coach’s decision to punt rather than try for a first down? . . .

My idea of easy Sunday listening is Dick Enberg. . . .

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Unranked Temple defeating top-ranked Kansas and second-ranked Villanova the same week indicates that there are no great teams in college basketball this season. . . .

Another stunner was Long Beach State’s failure to beat the 45-second shot clock during a sequence against George Mason, which is coached by Paul Westhead. . . .

What’s this about the San Antonio Spurs missing Dennis Rodman so much? They are 16-7 without him. With him last season at this time, they were 14-9. . . .

So far, Shawn Bradley is playing a lot better against the Philadelphia 76ers than he did for them. . . .

The Santa Anita meeting that opens Tuesday will be the first in the United States to offer two regularly scheduled $1 million races--the Santa Anita Handicap and Derby. . . .

Jeff Siegel’s Santa Anita preview show tonight at 8 on Channel 56 will include a segment on how thoroughbred racing will look in the year 2000. . . .

Angels Care, a project of the California Angels, has raised $584,000 for 32 nonprofit youth organizations in Orange County the past two years. . . .

News item: Pitcher Andy Benes signs two-year, $8.1 million deal with St. Louis. Reaction: What would Benes, who is 76-77, have gotten if he had a winning career record? . . .

USC and Penn State are close to signing a contract to play in the Kickoff Classic next summer at Giants Stadium.