Big Hits? Not for This Observer

Bernie Lincicome of the Rocky Mountain News writes that there are no great baseball movies. As for “61*,” he says: “It is a lie from the title on. There never was an asterisk attached to Maris’ 61 homers.

“The press is the villain in this one, as they are in most sports movies, causing another lie, that Maris’ hair fell out from media pressure. A spot turned prematurely white, and I’ve known that to happen to guys who couldn’t get the bat off their shoulders.

“See the movie, enjoy the movie or not. It will be on HBO forever. Just understand that it is no more accurate than was ‘The Babe Ruth Story,’ starring William Bendix. Ruth died two days after the Bendix picture opened, always assumed to be a coincidence.”

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Trivia time: Who holds the record for turnovers in an NBA playoff game?

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Winded: Scott Ostler in the San Francisco Chronicle: “At Camden Yards, the Orioles moved home plate back seven feet this season. And wouldn’t you know it, now the hitters are complaining about the long run to first base.”

And one more: “Major League Baseball is sending All-Star ballots to Japan, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. That’s great. Just don’t send any to Florida.”

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Just as dumb: For a story on penalty boxes in the NHL, Hal Habib of the Palm Beach (Fla.) Post talked to some people who spent considerable time in them.

Dave “Tiger” Williams, former NHL tough guy, told of the night in the 1970s when Toronto’s Kurt Walker fought Philadelphia’s Dave “the Hammer” Schultz, and both were sent to the box.

Williams skated over to referee Bryan Lewis and said, “Look at those two idiots. You add up their IQs and it wouldn’t even come to 11.”

Quipped Lewis, “Why don’t you jump in there with them and make it an even dozen?”

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He could handle it: Tom FitzGerald of the San Francisco Chronicle writes that Giant fans have set a standard of heckling to which others can only aspire and the visiting Dodgers were always a target.

“ ‘Hey, Lasorda,’ one fan once heckled Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda, ‘is that your belt or the equator?’

Lasorda, always one to play to the crowd, bowed and shouted back, ‘What mental institution did they let you out of?’ ”

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Trivia answer: John Williamson of New Jersey, 11, against Philadelphia on April 11, 1979.

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And finally: On Fox’s “Last Word with Jim Rome,” Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly says of the possible comebacks by Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley:

“I think a lot of guys have gone broke underestimating Michael Jordan. I can see Charles coming out and not being what he used to be, but Charles is just there to pour the drinks and deal the cards.”