Some Aussies Just Hate to Play on a Dry Pitch

Cricketers in the Australian state of Victoria have signed a no-alcohol pledge before and during matches. Cricket matches often are played over as many as five days.

Former Australian national team captain Ian Chappell doesn’t agree with the pledge, saying:

“If you’re fit, three or four beers don’t hurt anyone. You’d be better off having three or four beers than three or four Cokes.”

Beer drinkers would agree.

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Trivia time: Who holds the NFL record for receiving yards in a game?

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Tribute: Davey Johnson, the new Dodger manager, writing in USA Today: “I’ll tell you, Joe Torre is the king of New York now. Joe doesn’t have anything to worry about the rest of his life. He reached the pinnacle.

“He’s not a good manager with a great team; he’s a great manager with a great team.”

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Job security: Pat Campbell, associate counsel of the Major League Umpires Assn., when asked what it would take to fire an ump:

“I mean, if an umpire shot a player on the field, could he be terminated? I guess under those circumstances I would have a tough time saying he couldn’t.”

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Big Mac impact: The St. Louis Cardinals’ spring training stadium in Jupiter, Fla., is being reconfigured for the next exhibition season. A total of 1,300 temporary bleacher seats are being added so more fans will have a chance to catch Mark McGwire’s home runs.

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Growing up: New York Yankee outfielder Paul O’Neill, on owner George Steinbrenner: “He has given us nothing but teams to win with. It goes to show that everybody does mature.”

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Long season: The Washington Redskins (0-7) have a bye this week. Wrote Tony Kornheiser in the Washington Post: “Bye is a four-point favorite.”

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Still going: Gary Player, 62, who will play in the Pacific Bell senior tournament starting Friday at Wilshire Country Club, on his goal:

“I’ve got to win in the year 2000. Sam [Snead] and I have each won tournaments in five decades and that would give me six.”

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Looking back: On this day in 1975, UCLA defeated California, 28-14, at the Coliseum. The Bruins went on to beat Ohio State, 23-10, in the Rose Bowl game.

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Trivia answer: Willie “Flipper” Anderson of the L.A. Rams, 336 yards against New Orleans on Nov. 26, 1989 in an overtime game.

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And finally: Jason Whitlock, a Kansas City sportswriter, taunted New England fans during an Oct. 11 game played in the cold by holding up signs saying, “It’s warm in here [press box]--good looking women too” and “Bledsoe . . . ? Pats [Stink].” He was suspended Wednesday.

Comments Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News: “No cheering from the press box is an old saying. Add this . . . corollary: no jeering from the press box.”