He Wanted to High-Tail It Out of Baseball

The election of George Brett to baseball’s Hall of Fame brought to mind a story Peter Gammons of the Boston Globe tells about the former El Segundo High all-around athlete.

“In his final month [as a Kansas City Royal], I asked Brett if he wanted to end his career like Ted Williams did, with a home run.” Gammons wrote. “ ‘No, that’s Ted, and I’m not Ted,’ Brett replied. ‘In my final at-bat, I’d like to hit a ground ball to the second baseman and bust my behind trying to run it out.’ ”

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Trivia time: UCLA has had 33 consensus first-team All-Americans in basketball. Who was the first?

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No big deal: Former NBA star Moses Malone, on his son, Moses Jr., quitting the University of Houston team, coached by Clyde Drexler, another former NBA great:

“It was his decision to go to UH and his decision on the other part. Most young guys--if they are players--want to play. My son felt he was a good player. It’s nothing against the UH coaches or the school.”

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Self appraisal: After being named NFL defensive rookie of the year, the Oakland Raiders’ Charles Woodson was asked how he would grade his year.

“I’d give myself a B-minus,” the 1997 Heisman Trophy winner said.

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Kiss of death: Jim Fassel, 1997 NFL coach of the year, had better beware. It apparently doesn’t pay to win such an award.

Ray Rhodes, 1995 coach of the year, and Dom Capers, who won the same honor in 1996, were both fired last week.

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Old folks’ home: Shortly after the New York Rangers won their New Year’s Eve game in Denver, winger John MacLean was in the locker room watching the celebration in New York’s Times Square when he exclaimed, “It’s 1999, and I’m still playing.”

MacLean is in his 17th NHL season.

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Clippers too: Someone in the Charlotte Hornets’ management is having some fun with the NBA lockout. One advertisement last month said, “It’s December and we’re still tied with Chicago.”

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Observant coach: After Oregon State point guard Deaundra Tanner went two for 20 from the field and 0 for 5 on three-point shots, Coach Eddie Payne said, “He didn’t do a good job of picking his spots.”

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Never too old: With aging quarterbacks like Randall Cunningham and Vinny Testaverde having big seasons, maybe it’s time for Roger Staubach to try it too.

The former Dallas Cowboy Hall of Fame quarterback gave a display of throwing accuracy when he competed as a surrogate passer for a Georgia bank manager and threw a football through a replica of a cellular phone.

When Staubach’s pass was on target, Wayne Morgan collected $100,000. Staubach is 56.

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Trivia answer: Dick Linthicum, a forward, in 1931 and 1932.

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And finally: Cartoonist Mike Cavna, in the San Diego Union-Tribune, drew a picture of a Dr. Spock book, with a baby crying on the cover, and captioned it “The Chargers’ new playbook for Ryan Leaf’s development.”