Belle Is Still More of an Indian Taker

During a recent game in Cleveland, Albert Belle lost control of his bat and it flew into the stands. The former Indian slugger, now with the Baltimore Orioles, walked to the stands and demanded its return. Players usually leave the bat in the stands or trade another one for it.

Belle demanded it back, offering nothing in return.

“Albert doesn’t want to give anything to Cleveland,” Indian relief pitcher Paul Shuey said. “If they hadn’t given him the bat back, he would have went up after it.

“I’m surprised he doesn’t go up in the stands after his foul balls here.”

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Trivia time: In the 50 AP preseason football polls before this year’s, which school was named No. 1 the most?

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All in the family: When Rip Williams crashed into Tony Jones during a recent Sprint Car Racing Assn. event at Perris, Hall of Fame driver Bubby Jones, who witnessed the accident, was asked who was at fault.

Jones, Tony’s father and Rip’s brother-in-law, replied, “Don’t ask me. I have to have Christmas with both of them.”

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Golf’s greatest: Jack Nicklaus and Mickey Wright have been named golf’s greatest players of the century by a Sport magazine panel of experts.

Nicklaus was followed by Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer and Byron Nelson, Wright by Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Patty Berg, Kathy Whitworth and JoAnne Carner.

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It’s only business: Maybe Southland fans are fortunate that neither the Dodgers nor the Angels are going to the playoffs.

Texas Ranger fans who want AL playoff tickets must pay, in addition to the ticket price, a $250 nonrefundable deposit toward a season ticket next year.

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Close calls: Former UCLA defensive back Wasswa Serwanga, a native of Uganda, is a candidate for the San Francisco 49ers’ secondary who knows how tough it can be.

“The room for mistakes at this level is minimal,” he said. “The difference between a good cornerback and a bad one can be a false read or a false step.”

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Quick change: Hall of Fame golfer Billy Casper, on the transition between the PGA Tour and the senior tour:

“One day you’re a veteran. The next day you’re a rookie. I think it’s neat.”

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Winning habit: What does a Hall of Fame baseball player do after he retires? George Brett will be caddying for old friend Larry Ziegler next weekend when Ziegler defends his TD Waterhouse senior tour championship in Kansas City, Mo. Brett also carried his bag when Ziegler won last year.

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Trivia answer: Oklahoma, eight times.

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And finally: Former Formula One champion Jacques Villeneuve, after testing a new British-American Racing F1 car in which the rear wing and engine cover flew off:

“I suppose you could describe her as being like a fast lady--you sit down beside her, and she just throws everything off.”