In the Land of Hoosiers, He Fit In Perfectly

Reggie Miller attended high school in Riverside and college at UCLA, but the sharpshooting 39-year-old left his heart and legacy on the court at Indianapolis’ Conseco Fieldhouse.

Miller’s 27-point performance Thursday against the Detroit Pistons -- on 11-of-16 shooting -- capped an 18-year career with the Indiana Pacers, who were eliminated by the Pistons.

“It was a sad night, and at the same time, it was an absolutely unforgettable night,” Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star wrote. “There aren’t many lump-in-your-throat moments in sports anymore, not with the growing disconnect between the fans and athletes. With Reggie, though, it was like saying goodbye to a cherished member of the family.

“As he walked off the floor and through the tunnel for the final time, he pointed to the ‘Indiana’ across the front of his uniform and raised his finger to the sky. Words weren’t necessary: ‘Indiana,’ he was saying with that gesture, ‘will always be No. 1 in my heart.’ ”

Trivia time: Name the only horse that was undefeated when he won the Triple Crown.

Still Miller time: The Milwaukee City Council was expected to pass legislation Friday that would allow fans to consume alcoholic beverages in parking lots at Miller Park.

Alderman Michael Murphy pushed through the legislation after a dutiful Milwaukee police officer informed him that millions of fans who had been enjoying beer and brats at Brewer games over the years were unknowingly violating a 1980 city ordinance forbidding drinking in public parking lots of structures.

In an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Murphy joked, “I tried to make it illegal to drink Budweiser,” while keeping locally brewed Miller products free of fines.

Forgettable outing: Johan Santana, the 2004 Cy Young Award winner, had his worst outing in nearly a year this week, giving up seven earned runs and two homers in the Minnesota Twins’ 10-3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.

According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Santana’s baby daughter, Jasmine, was on hand for the first time to see him pitch.

“It’s a good thing she won’t be able to remember it,” he said.

Unforgettable outing: Little Leaguer Katie Brownell, 11, struck out all 18 batters she faced -- all boys -- during a six-inning perfect game in upstate New York.

“I was happy and I felt special, kind of,” Katie told Bill Hutchinson of the New York Daily News. “The guys on the other team congratulated me, but they were kind of mad.”

Trivia answer: Seattle Slew, who won the Preakness on May 21, 1977, then ran his record to 9-0 with a victory in the Belmont to win the Triple Crown.

And finally: Jim Armstrong of the Denver Post wonders why a certain embattled Philadelphia Eagle receiver and his agent sought a sensitive ear from fans in the City of Brotherly Love:

“Let me see if I’ve got this straight. Terrell Owens and Drew Rosenhaus have taken their case to the good people of Philly, who once pelted a guy in a Santa Claus suit with snowballs and cheered when Michael Irvin lay on the field with a career-ending injury?”