They Each Wore One Glove While They Worked

Payne Stewart, who died Monday in a plane crash, put his Orlando, Fla., mansion up for sale last summer. One of the prospective buyers, according to Golf Digest, was pop singer Michael Jackson.

As Jackson toured the house, his manager informed him the seller was “the famous golfer Payne Stewart.” Jackson was clueless at first.

Then Jackson was told Stewart was the golfer who wore the colorful knickers. “Oh, that guy,” Jackson said. “I know who he is.”

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More Stewart: He was very patriotic and considered it an honor to represent his country in Ryder Cup competition.

“I’m one of those guys who puts my hand over my heart when they play the national anthem. Heck, I sing the words.”

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Trivia time: There are 29 golfers in the Tour Championship this week in Houston, but one has never won a PGA Tour event. Who is he?

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The Inquisition: Dan Le Batard in the Miami Herald: “Television reporter Jim Gray, the world’s toughest dweeb, skewered Pete Rose on Sunday night in an interrogation so painful to watch it should have included a single swaying light bulb and a sobbing Rose being shocked with electrical currents every time he gave an answer NBC didn’t like.”

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Big of you: Miami Dolphin guard Kevin Gogan on Olindo Mare, who has converted 17 field goals in a row: “He’s hot. I usually don’t talk to kickers because they’re weird, but I talk to Olindo now.”

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Just be humble: A few days before the Redskins lost to the Cowboys, 38-20, Washington wide receiver Albert Connell said Dallas’ Deion Sanders couldn’t cover him.

On Sunday, Connell did make one touchdown catch, but it wasn’t at Sanders’ expense. Said Michael Wilbon of the Washington Post:

“Note to Connell: Water covers two-thirds of the earth; Deion covers the rest. He’s the best cover-cornerback who ever lived. You don’t say anything to Deion but, ‘Good morning, sir. How would you like your toast?’ ”

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Hail, Paterno! Penn State’s 31-25 victory over Purdue gave Coach Joe Paterno win No. 315, moving him past Amos Alonzo Stagg into third place on the Division I-A list.

“The only Italian who has won more than Joe Paterno,” ESPN’s Beano Cook said, “is Julius Caesar.”

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Who needs them: Australian television golf analyst Jack Newton, on U.S. players’ demands for appearance fees to play in Australian tournaments:

“Quite frankly, many of them wouldn’t draw three people and a dog through the gate.”

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Trivia answer: Dennis Paulson.

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And finally: Woody Paige in the Denver Post: “In heaven, there’s no OB, no downhill, breaking five-footers, no shanks and no duck hooks.

“And Payne Stewart has a tee time at 10 this morning with Ben Hogan, Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen.”