What Is It About Owners and Dogs?

Cleveland Plain Dealer columnist Bud Shaw on Marge Schott’s losing daily control of the Cincinnati Reds through the 1998 season:

“Nobody threatened to take away Ted Turner’s team when he dropped to all fours in the lobby of the L.A. Hilton and started barking like a dog at the 1976 winter meetings.

“Or, when he urinated in public after winning the America’s Cup.”

*

Add Schott: Tom Weir in USA Today: “By dumping on Marge the same way she has dumped on minorities and employees, baseball has done the seemingly impossible.

“All at once, we kind of like Marge. She still needs a map to get to first base, but she has managed to become a champion of the First Amendment.”

*

Trivia time: Who holds the U.S. Open record for the most strokes under par at any point in the tournament?

*

Controversial gig: From Jay Leno: “Here’s an unusual Olympics story. It seems the eight-person synchronized swimming team from France had to change their routine for the Olympics.

“They were going to goose-step into the water. And people complained that this whole thing glorified Nazism. Hundreds of people complained, although Marge Schott called and said, ‘Hey do you do birthday parties?’ ”

*

Vera-fied? Ron Cook in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: “Jim Leyland [Pirate manager] became a believer April 25. That’s the day Florida second baseman Quilvio Veras hit a three-run home run to left field off Pirates starter John Hope.

“ ‘You can’t tell me the ball isn’t juiced,’ Leyland said. ‘I’ve never wanted to give in to that theory before, but Quilvio Bleepin’ Veras? There’s no way he should be able to hit a ball that far to the opposite field. I’m stronger than he is, for heaven’s sake.’ ”

*

Unusual pairing: Steffi Graf has extended an invitation to Russian President Boris Yeltsin to play with her this fall in Moscow during the regular WTA tour Ladies Kremlin Open, according to a Russian magazine editor.

There was no immediate reaction from Yeltsin, who is an avid tennis player and has attended events in Moscow.

*

What’s the record? Blackie Sherrod in the Dallas Morning News: “Larry Holmes has retired definitely five times, with two probables.”

*

Our diplomat: From the Good Doctor in Inside Sports magazine:

Q: What does the addition of Charles Barkley make the U.S. Olympic basketball squad?

A: The “Bad Dream” team.

*

Looking back: On this day in 1951, Ben Hogan shot a 67 in the final round to win the U.S. Open at Oakland Hills.

*

Trivia answer: Gil Morgan, 12 under during the third round at Pebble Beach in 1992.

*

And finally: Joseph Peter DiMaggio, father of major leaguers Joe, Vince and Dom, once characterized his sons’ childhood days spent playing sandlot ball in San Francisco:

“Too many shoes, too many pants.”