A Great Player, but a Better Nickname

Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch was honored with a bronze plaque in the Coliseum’s Memorial Court of Honor on Wednesday, a tribute to a Hall of Fame player who starred as a receiver for the Los Angeles Rams.

Hirsch, who died in 2004 at 80, earned his nickname in 1942 after scoring for Wisconsin on a long touchdown run against Great Lakes Naval Station.

“His crazy legs were gyrating in six different directions, all at the same time,” Francis Powers wrote in the Chicago Daily News.

In 1951, Hirsch helped lead the L.A. Rams to their only NFL title, catching 66 passes from Hall of Fame quarterbacks Bob Waterfield and Norm Van Brocklin. He averaged 48 yards for 17 touchdown receptions.

Jim Hardy, who played for the Rams, Chicago Cardinals and Detroit Lions, was one of six speakers who remembered Hirsch on Wednesday.

“He did everything on the field but blow the ball up,” Hardy said.

Trivia time: The 1994 season was the Los Angeles Rams’ last in Southern California. Name three players from that 1994 team who played for the St. Louis Rams in 2004.

McParking problems: The Chicago White Sox travel across town to Wrigley Field to play the Cubs in a three-game series starting today, but White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen is not looking forward to the trip.

Guillen told the Chicago Sun-Times that he had to park at a McDonald’s across the street from Wrigley last season. The White Sox will depart for a series against the Angels after Sunday’s game against the Cubs.

“We’re trying to figure out how we’re going to go from there to the airport to go to Anaheim because there’s no parking,” Guillen said.

Shaping up: Baltimore Raven running back Jamal Lewis, who pleaded guilty in a drug case, is at a federal prison camp in Pensacola, Fla., serving a four-month sentence that began Feb. 4.

Jamison Hensley of the Baltimore Sun wrote that Lewis “weighs about 240 pounds, which is great shape for a player who has been known to balloon in the off-season.”

Coach Brian Billick was not worried about Lewis missing a mini-camp this week.

“This sounds terrible, but he’s in a great, regimented environment,” Billick told the Sun. “There’s not a lot else for him to do but to stay focused.”

Wade a minute: Shaquille O’Neal might be the big man for the Miami Heat, but guard Dwyane Wade has shot past him in merchandise sales.

Bloomberg News reported that Wade’s jersey was the top seller in the NBA last week, citing information from Sports-ScanINFO, which tracks retail sales of sports merchandise. O’Neal led the league in sales during the regular season and Wade was ninth.

Trivia answer: Wide receiver Isaac Bruce, quarterback Chris Chandler and punter Sean Landeta.

And finally: Columnist Jerry Greene of the Orlando Sentinel senses that one particular NBA player could give his team the ultimate edge in the playoffs. Wrote Greene: “The San Antonio Spurs might win the whole thing behind the Force of Obi-Wan Ginobili.”