He Also Picked Dole to Win in a Landslide

In the Jan. 22, 1965, edition of Golf World magazine, Sam Snead had this to say about Jack Nicklaus:

“He is an old man in golf at age 24, has reached his peak and can’t get any better. It’s a question of how long this boy can hold what he has.”

Snead was a lousy prophet. Nicklaus would go on to win 70 events on the PGA Tour, 18 major championships and has eight victories on the senior tour.

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Trivia time: Who holds the NFL career record for most interceptions returned for touchdowns?

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Geezer challenge: Tom FitzGerald in the San Francisco Chronicle: “Long-forgotten Joe Bugner, 46, wants to challenge George Foreman for something called the World Boxing Union heavyweight title.

“ ‘I believe this is the fight that most people want,’ Bugner said. [Oh?] He added: ‘It’s time for two grandfathers to meet.’ ”

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How About Today? From the Major League Baseball Calendar: “At the beginning of the 1911 season, National League President Tom Lynch asked that all league umpires have their eyesight tested and submit the results to him. They all produced certificates indicating perfect 20/20 vision.”

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St. Louis blues: Ram defensive end Leslie O’Neal on the team’s 2-7 record and assignment breakdowns:

“It’s just like you’re riding down the road, you get your car washed, and boom, all of a sudden it starts raining.”

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Just like home: During a timeout in Thursday night’s game between Golden State and the New York Knicks, three guys dressed as hoodlums pretended to mug the Warriors’ mascot while Frank Sinatra’s rendition of “New York, New York” played in the San Jose Arena.

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Fruit expert: Denver Nugget Coach Bernie Bickerstaff on NBA veteran Dick Motta’s role as an assistant coach:

“It has been a learning experience already. In training camp, we learned the right way to peel bananas.”

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Baby blimps: The Northwestern football team boasts of four 300-pound players. This isn’t, however, Northwestern University. It’s Northwestern High School in Miami.

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Vote of confidence: Louisiana State Athletic Director Joe Dean on men’s basketball Coach Dale Brown, who has not led the Tigers to the NCAA tournament the last three seasons:

“He’s got two more years on his contract. I hope and pray they win.”

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Trivia answer: Ken Houston, with nine, while playing for the Houston Oilers and the Washington Redskins from 1967 to 1980.

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And finally: The NBA experimented with female referees for the first time during exhibition games. None will work regular-season games.

Said Dennis Rodman of the Chicago Bulls: “Most guys go over and tap a referee on the butt or whatever after a good call. If they can handle that, then everything will be all right.”