Former Pitcher Is a Big Hit on the Course

Who is the best golfer among former professional athletes?

If betting odds can be used as a measurement, former Dodger pitcher Rick Rhoden is the best. He is listed at 7-5 by the Caesars Tahoe Race and Sports Book for the annual American Century Celebrity tournament being held this weekend at Lake Tahoe, Nev.

Football’s John Elway is at 12-1, with hockey’s Mario Lemieux 15-1. Michael Jordan, a late entry, was posted at 100-1.

Rhoden was third after the first round, two shots behind actor Jack Wagner.

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Trivia time: What do Art Aragon, Mike Garrett and Donald Sterling have in common?

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Just wondering: If a golf ball is only 1.68 inches in diameter and weighs only 1.620 ounces, why is it so difficult to get it into a hole that is 4 1/4 inches wide?

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The end: Utah Jazz Coach Jerry Sloan continues to deny that he is planning to retire after next season.

“When you start talking about retirement, that’s when you get up under a shade tree and don’t ever come out,” he said.

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Name game: An International Basketball League franchise has been awarded to Flint, Mich., for the 2000-01 season. They’ll be the Flint Stones.

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Fair warning: Who is the world fly fishing champion? Whoever he is, he’d better start worrying. Tiger Woods is taking up the sport.

While in Ireland next week to prepare for the British Open, Woods said he planned to do some fly fishing, admitting that he’s “hooked.”

“I’m even learning how to tie my own flies,” he said.

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Not bad: Remember the old “Spahn and Sain and pray for rain” slogan of the Boston Braves? Steve Abney suggested this one for the Dodgers to Tom FitzGerald in the San Francisco Chronicle: “Park and Brown, then get outta town.”

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Internet talk: Gary Shelton of the St. Petersburg Times asks, “When Sebastian Janikowski signs on to America Online, does his computer really say, ‘Welcome . . . you’ve got bail’?”

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Self-analysis: CART champ car races have become so boring for lack of passing that even the drivers are complaining. Says Mark Blundell, winner of the first California 500:

“It’s a parade. It can’t be much fun to watch, because it sure isn’t any fun to drive.”

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Social note: After Anna Kournikova was eliminated in the second round at Wimbledon, Bob Kravitz of the Rocky Mountain News said, “This means more time to break Russian hockey players’ hearts.”

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Trivia answer: They’re all graduates of Roosevelt High.

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And finally: A headfirst slide by catcher Eli Marrero will be included in the St. Louis Cardinals’ instructional video, according to General Manager Walt Jocketty.

“How not to slide” will be the title.

Marrero suffered a partially torn ligament in his left thumb and is expected to be out about six weeks.