Swimmer Hall Displays a Keen Sense of Humor

Olympic swimming gold medalist Gary Hall, vacationing in Australia, was hoping to get together with friend Alexander Popov, the Russian swimmer who beat him in the 50- and 100-meter freestyles at the Atlanta Olympics.

Popov plans to move and train in Australia. Unfortunately, he was unable to meet Hall as planned because the Russian is recuperating from knife wounds he suffered when stabbed during an argument with watermelon vendors in Moscow.

Reasoning that Popov needed a laugh, Hall sent him a doll holding a watermelon in one hand and a knife in the other.

“I hope it will keep him in stitches,” Hall said.

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Trivia time: Who was the last Dodger to steal home?

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Father’s day: Philander Rodman Jr. has not seen his son Dennis for 26 years, but that’s not stopping him from cashing in on his son’s NBA fame.

Philander, who owns a bar near the gate of Clark Air Base in the Philippines, is asking $10,000 for television interviews.

Reportedly, Philander lives by his name, with 27 children from two former marriages, two current Filipino “wives,” and other “extra-curricular activities.”

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Last rites: Randy Galloway in the Dallas Morning News before the Cowboys were beaten by Buffalo on Sunday, 10-7:”Losing [in Buffalo] to the [Jim] Kelly-less Bills would kill the will of this team. And kill the season.”

Apparently, then, the season is over for the 1-3 Cowboys.

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Laker trashing: Eddie Sefko of the Houston Chronicle isn’t impressed that oddsmakers in Las Vegas are listing the Lakers as the second choice behind the Chicago Bulls to win the NBA championship in 1997.

“Shaquille O’Neal may be the $120-million man, but he’s surrounded by a bunch of penny-ante players,” Sefko writes.

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What was the tip? After his first 100-yard rushing game as an NFL player, Houston rookie Eddie George was told it’s traditional to take his offensive linemen out to dinner.

The tab for George at Arcodoro’s in Houston was $1,300.

“When I saw the bill, I figured I could have bought the restaurant,” he said.

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Waiting game: Nick Canepa in the San Diego Union-Tribune: “Tampa Bay’s Tony Dungy waited his entire life to coach an NFL team. I hope someday he gets the chance.”

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Looking back: On this day in 1967, Jim Bakken of the St. Louis Cardinals kicked an NFL-record seven field goals, giving the Cardinals a 28-14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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Trivia answer: Brett Butler, on Sept. 8, 1992 in Atlanta.

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And finally: Sports Illustrated reports that the mother of an Oregon State football player was perplexed by the Oct. 5 entry on the Beavers’ schedule, so she called the sports information office and asked: “What school’s initials are B-Y-E?”