A Helping Hand From a Heisman Winner

Gary Dimkich, owner of DeLacey’s Club 41 restaurant in Old Town Pasadena, witnessed a nice gesture by a good Samaritan at the USC-UCLA game.

A chauffeur-driven Lincoln Town Car was entering Lot F at the Rose Bowl, and a man got out to talk with the security people. Meanwhile, another car with a handicapped parking sticker tried entering the lot, but the driver was told there were no handicapped spots left and he’d have to find parking elsewhere.

Two elderly passengers in that car, saying they had trouble walking, asked the man in the Town Car if he’d give them a ride.

“Sure, hop in,” said Marcus Allen.

Trivia time: When was the last time USC was ranked No. 1 and played the No. 2-ranked team in a bowl game?

Likely improvement: At the Pasadena Quarterbacks Club luncheon Friday, former USC quarterback Craig Fertig, touting the Trojan defense, said, “I’d hate to be playing quarterback for UCLA.”

Said former Bruin quarterback Matt Stevens: “And UCLA wouldn’t want you playing quarterback.”

As things turned out, Fertig, 61, may have done better than Drew Olson, particularly on the Bruins’ last opportunity.

More Fertig: He said he and former UCLA coach Terry Donahue always bet on the outcome of the USC-UCLA game.

“The winner picks the restaurant, and the loser picks up the tab,” Fertig said. “Let’s see, I haven’t been to Hawaii in a while.”

Good excuse: Amateur golfer John Sniegowski of Cadillac, Mich., using his handicap, recently took on John Daly in the second “People vs. the Pros” golf event, which was taped at Pinehurst, N.C., and will be shown on ESPN tonight at 7.

Sniegowski qualified on a Sunday afternoon, meaning that he missed work the next day.

“I had to call in and say, ‘Sorry, I can’t make it today. I’m playing golf against John Daly for $100,000,’ ” he said.

Tough negotiations: Mike Fratello left TNT to become coach of the Memphis Grizzlies, and his former TNT commentating partner, Steve Kerr, said he too had a recent coaching offer.

“My 12-year-old son wanted me to coach his team,” Kerr said. “But he wanted me to commit to two years, and I could only offer him one. So we couldn’t come to terms.”

Looking back: On this date in 1961, Syracuse’s Ernie Davis became the first black player to win the Heisman Trophy.

Trivia answer: Jan. 1, 1963, when USC hung on to defeat No. 2-ranked Wisconsin, 42-37, in the Rose Bowl game.

When USC lost to Ohio State in the 1969 Rose Bowl, the Buckeyes came into the game ranked No. 1, and the Trojans were No. 2.

And finally: Maybe Stanford Athletic Director Ted Leland should bring Tyrone Willingham back to Stanford, where he coached before taking the Notre Dame job.

As noted by Elliott Harris of the Chicago Sun-Times: “If at first you don’t succeed, try Ty again.”

Larry Stewart can be reached at larry.stewart@latimes.com.