Categorically, This Gent Is an Innovator

Bill Lyon of the Philadelphia Inquirer, writing on the “King of Statistics,” Harvey Pollack, “who has crept to within a layup of age 80.”

“He is the Farmers Almanac, the encyclopedia, the atlas and the Rand McNally of numbers. You wouldn’t recognize a box score now if it hadn’t been for him. Not only has he developed systems and charts, he invented entire categories of statistics.

“Most of those abbreviated hieroglyphics that allow you to re-create a game in your mind come from him. Rebounds? Harvey’s idea. Steals? His. Turnovers? His again. Ditto for blocked shots and technical fouls. And for dunks and fastbreak points. And, yes for the triple double. . . .

“You ask the NBA what it would do without him and the standard reply has always been: ‘We don’t permit ourselves to think about that.’ ”

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Trivia time: Other than UCLA, which Pacific 10 Conference teams have won the men’s NCAA basketball championship?

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Funny: Norman Chad, discussing the XFL in his weekly column for America Online:

“I know some people question whether there are enough good football players around to fill another league. That might be a legitimate concern, but I can assure you there is excellent cheerleader depth in the nation.”

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Not so funny: The XFL’s Memphis Maniax aren’t changing their name despite criticism that it is a slap at the mentally ill.

“Maniax is a person who has unbridled enthusiasm. . . . We’re just trying to have a little fun,” Maniax General Manager Steve Ehrhart said.

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Get real: Jerry Greene in the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel: “In an interview this week, NBA Commissioner David Stern said: ‘The reality is that after you sell the season tickets, the average price of tickets available is about $10 at virtually every NBA arena. . . . A family of four can still go to a game for about $40.’

“Perhaps, as long as they walk there, eat and drink nothing, and are willing to sit next to where Quasimodo rings the bells.”

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Dangerous precedent: Steve Rosenbloom in the Chicago Tribune: “Some oddsmakers in Las Vegas have raised the $1,000 limit on XFL games. ‘And we could possibly see over-unders next week,’ said Bob Scucci, assistant manager of the Stardust sports book.

“Oh goody, we’re moving closer to making it worth someone’s financial while to fix a game in a league run by people who have made millions at scripting endings.”

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Sky no limit: American pole vault record-holder Jeff Hartwig, commenting on the retirement of the incomparable Sergei Bubka: “He was the best at everything [that goes into vaulting]. He was the Michael Jordan.”

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Trivia answer: Oregon in 1939, Stanford in 1942, California in 1959 and Arizona in 1997.

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And finally: The Wall Street Journal story detailing the sign-stealing schemes of the 1951 New York Giants reminded Chicago Tribune columnist Bob Verdi of another tale involving Leo Durocher.

“Once, after being ejected from a game, Durocher went to the press box and sat next to Barney Kremenko, a tall, red-haired New York writer. Soon Durocher asked Kremenko to make various gestures. Blow your nose. Take your hat off. Fix your tie.

“Kremenko obliged. But then he removed his glasses and Durocher exploded: ‘Hey, stop that! You just signaled for a pitchout!’ ”