Spin It Like This and Webb Can Tangle With Tiger

Let’s hear it for Karrie Webb, whose LPGA accomplishments parallel Tiger Woods’ in the men’s game.

The Australian won the U.S. Women’s Open by five strokes Sunday. Woods won the British Open by eight. It was Webb’s third victory in her last four majors. Same for Woods. She is 25, he is 24.

“Our careers are uncannily similar,” she says. “We were rookies of the year the same year and we both were players of the year on our tours last year. We both have dominated. But that’s about all you can compare.”

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More from Webb: Another Tiger trait--intimidating opponents:

“When my name goes up on the leader board, the other players know now that it is unlikely to go off,” Webb said.

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Trivia time: How many women golfers have won the LPGA Grand Slam?

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Baker’s boys: Texas Ranger first baseman Rafael Palmeiro is impressed with the way the San Francisco Giants are playing.

“They have that look,” he told the Sacramento Bee. “You can tell when a team is together. They have great leaders in Barry Bonds and Jeff Kent and the players respond well to Dusty Baker’s managing.”

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Crowd pleaser: Jack Berger, a former front-office employee of the Pittsburgh Pirates, died recently. In his 35 years with the team, he had worked his way up the ladder from clubhouse attendant. Admirable as that might be, however, he is remembered best for helping create one of the staples of modern-day baseball--the curtain call.

Dale Long had hit home runs in eight consecutive games in 1956, the last at Forbes Field. No one ever returned to the field after touching home plate in those days, but Berger, in the Pirate dugout, pushed Long back out as the crowd stood and cheered.

“Branch Rickey said that was the first time he ever saw a curtain call,” recalled former Pirate announcer Nellie King.

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College education: The lure of getting a football bowl bid or an NCAA basketball tournament berth has prompted some colleges to cancel scheduled games with strong opponents and replace them with softer competition.

Mike Cleary, executive director of the National Assn. of Collegiate Directors of Athletics, told Dennis Dodd of SportsLine.com:

“To be honest with you, nobody has any morals or scruples anymore. . . . When there’s money involved, show me the green and off I go.”

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Bad omen?: Isiah Thomas, who has replaced Larry Bird as coach of the Indiana Pacers, is not off to a good start. In his first game as coach at any level, he directed a team of Indiana rookies and free agents in a 75-74 loss to San Antonio in a Boston pro-am summer league.

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All in fun: C. David Baker, Arena Football League commissioner, says the AFL means All Fun League. He also says, “We’re kind of a Wal-Mart League. We’re everyman’s game.”

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Any bids? If a Honus Wagner baseball card is worth more than $1 million, what are the shoes that Muhammad Ali wore in his first fight with Joe Frazier worth? They will be among 500 pieces of Ali memorabilia available for “The Sale of the Century” auction Aug. 12 at Dodger Stadium.

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Trivia answer: Four, Mickey Wright, Louise Suggs, Pat Bradley and Juli Inkster. In 1950, when Babe Zaharias won three majors, there was no Grand Slam.

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And finally: Ian Thorpe of Australia, world-record swimmer, said he wants to be the first athlete to provide a blood sample if a valid doping test is implemented before the Sydney Olympics.

Thorpe, 17, said he has never used performance-enhancing substances and was prepared to go to any lengths to disprove rumors that he must be using drugs to be achieving his results.

“For people to say that you can’t get to that level without taking drugs . . . I take it as a compliment to my hard work, dedication and commitment to training,” he said.