McKeon Gives Compliment, Gets Back Baseballs

Most of the hoopla of the Roger Maris home run chase seems to revolve around Mark McGwire, but Sammy Sosa is not being forgotten.

When Cincinnati Red Manager Jack McKeon saw Sosa on the field before a game against the Chicago Cubs, he went out of his way to tell Sosa that he admired the way he has handled himself.

“He’s got a good attitude: Not trying to do anything but win games,” McKeon said.

Sosa was so grateful he sent six autographed balls to the Red manager.

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Trivia time: Which country holds the America’s Cup?

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Thirsty rivalry: Auto racing has become the latest battleground between soft drink rivals Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Coca-Cola is the official soft drink of NASCAR, but Pepsi has the selling rights at 14 of 20 NASCAR tracks, including California Speedway, and series champion Jeff Gordon plugs Pepsi.

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Not what you see: Corporate sponsor logos, which on television appear to be cut into the grass at racetracks or on fences at baseball parks, are sometimes virtual signs--seen only on TV.

While going unseen by fans in the stands, the computer-generated images are beamed to millions of viewers. Julius Joyce & Associates’ Sponsors Report claims an exposure value of $285,000 was achieved during the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

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Hidden talent: Fuzzy Zoeller has a word of encouragement for his amateur partners in pro-ams when they hit a dreaded shank.

“I tell them, ‘Do you realize how good you are to hit that little spot on the hosel with that golf club? You missed that big area, but you hit that tiny little area.’ ”

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True tribute: Cincinnati outfielder Jeffrey Hammonds wears No. 4 in honor of his former teammate, Eric Davis, although Davis wears No. 24 this season.

“It is only half his number,” Hammonds said, “but if I am half as good as he is, that’ll be enough.”

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Earlier McGwire: This year’s home run mania has brought back memories of great sluggers of the past, such as Jimmie Foxx, of whom New York Yankee pitcher Lefty Gomez once said, “Double-X is so strong, he even has muscles in his hair.”

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Well traveled: Jamie Lynn Bence completed the cycle of singing the national anthem at all 30 major league parks when the 10-year-old did the honors at Yankee Stadium last week.

“I have a picture of me in every stadium,” said Bence, who lives in Hartland, Wis., and starts fifth grade next month. “They’re in a special album.”

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Trivia answer: New Zealand, which won in 1995 with NZ32, better known as Black Magic.

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And finally: Despite their 5-7 record last season, Northwestern players huddle after each practice and shout, “National Championship.”

As Rick Morrisey of the Chicago Tribune points out, that’s a whole lot better than shouting “Builders Square Alamo Bowl.”