He can pick up the check

The average price of gasoline in 1959 was 30 1/2 cents a gallon, and now it’s close to $4. However, that increase is minuscule compared with how sports salaries have become inflated.

Tommy Hawkins, a Notre Dame All-American who was drafted in the first round by the Lakers in 1959 and received a salary of $20,000, says that is meal money by today’s standards.

As the master of ceremonies at the Los Angeles Athletic Club’s John R. Wooden Award dinner at a downtown hotel Friday night, Hawkins said to award finalist and top NBA prospect D.J. Augustin of Texas: “You’ll probably spend that much on lunch.”

Augustin, who was a bit lost for words, said: “I probably will.”

Trivia time

Pat Summitt, the Tennessee women’s basketball coach who was honored at Friday night’s dinner, was co-captain of the 1976 U.S. Olympic team. Who was the coach of that team?

He couldn’t bluff his way out of this

Tyler Hansbrough of North Carolina won the Wooden award, which was presented by former Lakers coach, general manager and president Bill Sharman. But first came a chat with emcee Hawkins on the podium, who among other things asked Hansbrough whether he had ever been kidded about being from Pine Bluff, Mo.

Said Hansbrough: “Actually, I’m from Poplar Bluff.”

What next?

During last week’s NCAA women’s title game, in which Tennessee defeated Stanford, Bruce Jenkins of the San Francisco Chronicle noted that ESPN play-by-play announcer Mike Patrick turned to broadcast partner Doris Burke and asked, “What are your Home Depot coaching adjustments?”

Added Jenkins: “Would love to have heard Burke reply, ‘We’re moving lawn mowers to the top of the key.’ ”

All in the family

Kobe Bryant’s part in the new ad that shows him, through some digital magic, jumping over a moving convertible, was shot atop the parking structure at the Los Angeles Athletic Club.

One member of the crew that shot that segment was Andrew Mardis, a freelance production assistant whose uncle is Lakers assistant coach Frank Hamblen.

A plea from within

The Angels’ Torii Hunter, featured on HBO’s “Real Sports” on Tuesday night, challenges the perception among youth in urban areas that baseball is not cool.

“The girls don’t like it,” Hunter says. “There’s nothing cool about baseball. Nothing hip-hop about baseball. But it is. I play it. So there’s something cool about baseball. I am hip-hop. I am cool. Play the game, baby.”

Just a week off

“The First Saturday in May,” a documentary about the Kentucky Derby, begins a run Friday at Laemmle’s Sunset 5 in Los Angeles.

And there’s a new book out titled, “First Sunday in April: The Masters.” One problem, though. The final round of the Masters almost always falls on the second Sunday of the month.

Trivia answer

Former UCLA coach Billie Moore, who Friday night presented Summitt with the Legends of Coaching Award.

And finally

Summitt, an All-American player at Tennessee Martin, as a coach has won eight NCAA titles, including the one the Lady Vols picked up last week.

“Is eight enough?” Hawkins asked Summitt.

Said Summitt: “I don’t know about that, but I do know that next season I’m not going to be as smart since I’ve lost my starting five.”

--

larry.stewart@latimes.com