Back in the Day They Didn’t Need Incentive Bonus

When members of the defunct Negro Leagues held a reunion recently in Kansas City, Mo., the oldest player there was Ted “Double-Duty” Radcliffe, 98, who got his nickname from pitching one game of a doubleheader and then catching the other.

“Today, a young player will get a sore finger and he’ll sit out for two weeks,” said Wilmer Harris, a pitcher for the Philadelphia Stars. “In our day, if you had a sore finger, you’d tie two fingers together and go out and play. You never wanted to come out of the game.”

*

Trivia time: Who is the only black driver to win a Winston Cup race?

*

Ugly Americans: When it was announced that several world golf tournaments would be held overseas next year, a number of American golfers hinted that they might not compete. Stuart Appleby of Australia had this reaction:

“They’re like a bag of prawns on a hot Sunday. They don’t travel well.”

*

Tiger troubles: Is Tiger Woods in a slump? Or is he just human?

We don’t mean because he lost a tournament. That’s nothing compared with what happened during a clinic at London’s Hyde Park.

He was performing his famous trick of bouncing a ball off his wedge and finally blasting it like a baseball player. But when he got to the end, he whiffed. So he tried it again, and again, and again.

After four misses, Woods moaned, “I’m a has-been.”

*

The name game: NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt, known as the “Intimidator” in Winston Cup circles, has become part owner of the Piedmont Boll Weevils baseball team of the Class A South Atlantic League.

The team’s new name: Kannapolis Intimidators.

*

Doubly good: After Brett Favre led Green Bay to a 26-24 victory over Indianapolis Nov. 19 despite a sprained left foot that had him in a cast and on crutches during the week, Packer wide receiver Bill Schroeder said of his quarterback, “He goes out and puts 100% on the field even when his health’s 50%.”

*

Think about it: The possibility of becoming the first NFL team to go 0-16 in the regular season had San Diego Charger fullback Fred McCrary concerned.

“Oh man, everybody would have to send their cleats to Canton. I don’t want to be known for that,” he said after they went 0-11.

Sunday, the Chargers took themselves off the hook.

*

Trivia answer: Wendell Scott, Dec. 1, 1963, at Jacksonville, Fla.

*

And finally: Dallas Morning News columnist Blackie Sherrod recalls the long ago day when a Fort Worth relief pitcher named Gene Costello was being booed unmercifully. Manager Bobby Bragan went to the mound and said, “Don’t pay any attention to these boos. They don’t understand the game. You just had some tough luck.”

Costello replied: “Aw, they’re not booing me, Bobby. They’re booing you for putting me out here in the first place.”