Back Then, Those Were the Breaks of the Game

Heckle Lynn, who died at 90 on Friday after suffering a stroke several months ago, was a fixture with the Los Angeles Rams for more than 30 years, beginning in the early 1960s.

He was the Rams’ volunteer assistant equipment manager, and many of the players hung out at his South Pasadena restaurant, Heckle’s.

Don Hewitt, who replaced Bill Granholm as the Rams’ equipment manager in 1967, recalls that Lynn was a worrier.

“One time prior to 1970, we were in Philadelphia,” Hewitt said. “The Eagles were still playing at Franklin Field, and the visiting team’s locker room was in such bad shape the door came off in my hand when I opened it.

“Heckle said, ‘This place is the pits. What are we going to do?’ I told him, ‘Don’t worry, they’re not going to play the game in the locker room.’ ”

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Appearance counts: Hewitt said the Rams returned to Philadelphia a few years later after the Eagles had moved into Veterans Stadium.

“The security wasn’t as tight as it is now, and we usually didn’t have to wear field passes,” Hewitt said. “But in Philadelphia they wouldn’t let Heckle on the field. I told him to grab a bucket and a towel and look official. That did the trick. After that, Heckle always wore a towel through his belt, and he never had a problem.”

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Trivia time: Although Al Unser Jr. won the 1990 Long Beach Grand Prix, Michael Andretti got much of the attention. Why was that?

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Laughable promotion: The Sports Business Journal reported that the Fullerton Flyers of the new independent Golden Baseball League will have “Too Funny Tuesdays” in which the Brea Improv will provide a comedian to “warm up” the crowd during pregame ceremonies.

The Flyers, who begin play May 27 at Chico, will play home games at Cal State Fullerton. Maybe the team is hoping to turn some home games into “laughers.”

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Talking tough: Former world heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe, before barely getting past Billy Zumbrun on Thursday, guaranteed a victory.

“Anything less would be uncivilized,” Bowe had said. He also predicted he was on his way to regaining his world title.

It’s not unusual for fighters to overestimate their skills, or their value.

Ron Borges of the Boston Globe recalls former welterweight champion Marlon Starling once saying of a particular opponent: “I’d fight him for nothing if the price is right.”

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Looking back: On this day in 1991, Al Unser Jr. won his fourth consecutive Long Beach Grand Prix.

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Trivia answer: Starting fifth, Andretti spun out on Lap 2 and found himself in last place. He methodically worked his way back through the pack and finished fourth. His father, Mario, finished fifth.

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And finally: TNT’s Kenny Smith, on how the Lakers attract a different kind of crowd now that they’ve been eliminated from the playoffs: “Denzel Washington isn’t here, but Billy Washington, his cousin, is.”

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