Notes on a Scorecard - May 16, 1990

What’s June going to be like without basketball? . . .

Now Magic Johnson knows how Michael Jordan felt when he was strictly a one-man team. . . .

But give the Phoenix Suns high marks. They could have thrown in the towel and looked ahead to Game 6 at home when they fell behind by 15 points in the first quarter Tuesday at the Forum. . . .

Who did the Suns think they were in the first quarter when they shot five for 21 from the floor, James Worthy? . . .

Phoenix shut up an audience that was so hyped that it booed Kurt Rambis during the pregame introductions. . . .

For the first time since they came into the league in the 1979-80 season, neither Magic Johnson nor Larry Bird will be playing in the NBA finals. . . .

If he develops into a force, young Shawn Kemp will make new Seattle SuperSonic Coach K.C. Jones look like a genius. . . .

Larry Holmes’ former trainer, Richie Giachetti, will help Mike Tyson. Giachetti is a pro who isn’t afraid to get tough with his fighters. . . .

Los Angeles heavyweight Mark Wills will try to repeat his 1986 upset victory over Greg Page on the Pernell Whitaker-Azumah Nelson undercard at Caesars Palace Saturday. . . .

Nelson, the WBC junior-lightweight champion who is moving up a division against Whitaker, has even bigger game in mind. “I’m not just preparing for Whitaker,” he said. “I’m preparing for Julio Cesar Chavez or Meldrick Taylor or even Mark Breland.” . . .

Fernando Valenzuela’s pitching and hitting against Montreal the other night brought to mind the time he did it all in a game during the Fernandomania season of 1981. Well, just about all. “I was not happy with my running,” he told a translator in the special interview room. . . .

Bill Bene, the Dodgers’ first draft choice in June, 1988, continues to make Nuke LaLoosh look like a control artist. Bene has walked 37 batters in 27 2/3 innings with Vero Beach of the Florida State League this season. . . .

What’s that about Dave Winfield becoming the spiritual leader of the Angels? Newsday columnist Steve Jacobson, on Winfield’s years with the Yankees: “He lived in his own locker. Smart as he is, it isn’t his nature to reach out and make others around him better.” . . .

The Angels and Kansas City figured to be contenders this season--but not for last place. . . .

It won’t be quite the same at Wrigley Field if they don’t let Harry Caray lead the crowd in singing, “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” during the seventh-inning stretch at the All-Star game. . . .

The success of the Pittsburgh Pirates has obscured the revival of Pennsylvania’s other National League East team, the Philadelphia Phillies. . . .

Crazy Charley Kerfeld has replaced Mitch (Wild Man) Williams as the most colorful relief pitcher in baseball. . . .

Look-alikes: Kerfeld and John Candy. . . .

Thirteen Dodgers, including the deactivated Kirk Gibson and Ray Searage, used to play in the American League. . . .

Few outfielders make better sliding catches than Andy Van Slyke. . . .

Mariano Duncan should feel at home on the disabled list. . . .

Volleyball players are among the most skilled of athletes. . . .

Jennifer Capriati should adjust well to grass courts, but look for an older woman such as Monica Seles to be the surprise of Wimbledon. . . .

A TV movie about the hockey-playing Mullen brothers from New York’s Hell’s Kitchen is in the works. . . .

Two Czechs, center Petr Nedved and left wing Jaromir Jagr, could go one-two in the NHL amateur draft. . . .

The NHL won’t be truly major league until it gets a big-time national TV contract. . . .

ESPN has offered former Pitt football coach Mike Gottfried an analyst’s job for next season. . . .

UCLA forward Don MacLean leaves today for Colorado Springs and tryouts for the U.S. amateur basketball team that will play in the Goodwill Games and other international tournaments. . . .

It’s looking more and more as if USC will finally get an on-campus basketball arena. Blueprints of a 10,000-seat facility are being circulated. . . .

USC will play host to the NCAA men’s tennis championships beginning Friday at the Hyatt Grand Champions in Indian Wells. Stanford, the two-time defending champion, is seeded second behind Tennessee. The Vols are led by Doug Flach, brother of Ken. . . .

Kentucky Jazz, who will run in the Preakness Saturday, was bred in Texas. . . .

My favorite race car drivers are Lake Speed and Scott Goodyear.