He Definitely Gets a Kick Out of Doing His Thing

Pirinya Kaibusaba is one of the best kickboxers in Thailand. He has a 20-2 record with 17 knockouts in a sport in which brutal kicks and elbows to the head are common.

He is also a transvestite who powders his nose during training and wears makeup and pink nail polish.

Before a sellout crowd of 10,000 and despite a cut over his left eye, the 16-year-old convincingly won his Bangkok debut Tuesday night.

He kissed Oven So Boonya after the decision was announced in what appeared to be sweet revenge for a teasing embrace delivered by his opponent just before the fight.

*

Trivia time: Don Sutton, winner of 324 games, finally made the Hall of Fame. Who are the only two active pitchers with at least 200 wins?

*

Bottoms up: Charles Barkley has said he’s cutting back on his drinking, especially the night before a game.

“I don’t think I can go out and drink six beers and six Long Island iced teas and then come out and play the next morning.”

Asked what was in the Long Island iced tea, Barkley replied: “I don’t know. I don’t make ‘em. I just drink ‘em.”

*

Zzzzzz: Art Spander writing in the Oakland Tribune: “So why is everyone knocking CBS? That was an absolutely brilliant idea delaying the showing of [Winter] Olympic events until we didn’t care.

“They should try the same with NFL games this fall. Indianapolis Colts vs. Cincinnati Bengals at midnight would be perfect.”

*

Recruiting incentive: Wake Forest recently instituted a policy under which every student will have a laptop computer. Said football Coach Jim Caldwell:

“I’ve told folks that if we could just include a car along with the laptop, we’d have it made in recruiting.”

*

Huffing and puffing: Toronto Blue Jay relief pitcher Dan Plesac, 36, on how he felt after running wind sprints Monday:

“Old. Ten more years, and I’m quitting.”

Five might be your limit, Dan.

*

Rhyming rip: Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, assessing the U.S. hockey team’s performance in Nagano: “Too much sake, not enough hockey.”

*

Looking back: On this day in 1987, Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls made 26 of 27 free throws in a game against the New Jersey Nets.

*

Trivia answer: Dennis Martinez of Atlanta, 241, and Roger Clemens of Toronto, 217.

*

And finally: Eddie Sefko in the Houston Chronicle: “[Michael] Jordan will see a lot on his final tour of the NBA--if this is in fact his final tour--but he won’t see anything to duplicate the Georgia Dome experience that awaits him March 27.

“The Hawks have been given permission by the NBA to open up the building well beyond the 50,000-seat level for the Bulls’ second appearance here this season--and possibly Jordan’s last as an active player.”