It’s About Time to Shut Angels’ Revolving Door

Please, Disney, don’t make this business of hiring new managers a habit the way Gene Autry did. . . .

It’s no coincidence that a franchise that has had 15 full-time managerial changes since 1969 never has won an American League pennant. . . .

Let John McNamara manage the rest of the schedule, hire a fresher face after the season, and make his job easier by acquiring a big-time starting pitcher through trade or free-agent signing. . . .

Marcel Lachemann’s resignation on Tuesday was much less surprising than Buck Rodgers’ firing in 1994. . . .

Even though Lachemann was successful for many months last season, he never seemed comfortable in his role. . . .

When things went sour this season, he blamed himself, something managers desiring a long term never do. . . .

He was best cast as a pitching coach, and the Angels would be wise to rehire him in that capacity next season. . . .

One of Lachemann’s coaches who was relieved of his duties, Bobby Knoop, was in his 24th year with the organization, six as a second baseman and 18 as a coach. . . .

No. 2 spent as many seasons in an Angel uniform as another No. 2, Tom Lasorda, did in a Los Angeles Dodger uniform.

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Track and field promoter Al Franken says he would like to stage an outdoor meet here next year featuring some of the Olympic Games heroes. . . .

“Of course, we’ve got to get the sponsors stirred up,” Franken said. “We need their dollars.” . . .

The post-Olympics meet in Zurich has a budget of $3 million. . . .

“European TV alone kicks in $1 million,” Franken said. . . .

Look for Michael Johnson to break the world record in the 400 meters at Zurich. If he does, he’ll collect a six-figure bonus. . . .

“What was so unusual about Johnson’s performance in Atlanta was that it surpassed expectations,” Franken said. “The track meet, on the whole, was my favorite at an Olympics, even better than the one in Mexico City in 1968.” . . .

The countries that made up the former Soviet Union won 119 medals at Atlanta to 101 for the U.S. However, the U.S. won the gold-medal count, 44-40. . . .

The front runner to hold the proposed Oscar De La Hoya-Julio Cesar Chavez rematch in January is the Coliseum. . . .

The last fight card at the Coliseum was on Sept. 15, 1972 when Changa Carmona knocked out Mando Ramos in the eighth round for the World Boxing Council lightweight championship. . . .

It will be “Adios, Chiquita, Night” Sept. 14 at the Forum when retiring former mini-flyweight champion Humberto “Chiquita” Gonzalez will be honored between Mark Johnson’s defense of his International Boxing Federation flyweight title against Alex Montiel and Marco Antonio Barrera’s defense of his World Boxing Organization super-bantamweight title against Jesse Magana. . . .

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Memorial services for Bishop Oliver Garver, who was one of UCLA’s most avid fans, will be Saturday at 10 a.m. in the gymnasium at Harvard Westlake School. . . .

Why shouldn’t Mario Lemieux, who was good enough to lead the NHL in scoring last season, return for another year with the Pittsburgh Penguins? . . .

The Washington Bullets, who re-signed Juwan Howard after apparently losing him to the Miami Heat, have staged the comeback of the summer in the NBA.

Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne says he would rather have a computer than the votes of sportswriters, broadcasters and coaches decide the two teams that play for the national football championship. . . .

“The strength of our conference might be the kickers,” Pacific 10 Conference commissioner Tom Hansen said. “That’s a frightening thought for our coaches, but we have a lot of good kickers back.” . . .

Natrone Means, who was let go by the San Diego Chargers, reportedly is displaying an improved attitude in the Jacksonville Jaguar camp. . . .

Here’s another thing wrong with exhibition football: You turn on the Dallas-Kansas City game on ABC on Monday night and get Sherman Williams at tailback for the Cowboys instead of Emmitt Smith.