Notes on a Scorecard - July 20, 1994

Here it is July already and there isn’t a single quarterback controversy in L.A.. . . . Amazing. . . .

Jeff Hostetler seems capable of leading the Raiders to the Super Bowl, Chris Miller should give the Rams a new and improved look, Rob Johnson of USC is an All-American candidate and Wayne Cook of UCLA is expected to get the ball into J.J. Stokes’ hands 80 or 90 times this season. . . .

Misfortune continues to plague the Super Bowl IV champion Kansas City Chiefs. Jerry Mays and Buck Buchanan died of cancer--Mays on Sunday--and Jim Tyrer committed suicide. . . . How big are the Cowboys in Dallas? A television station interrupted programming to report that Emmitt Smith had been injured when the cart in which he was a passenger ran into unofficial mascot “Crazy Ray” Jones. . . .

Thumbs up to Johnnie Morton, the Detroit Lion rookie wide receiver who will make donations to inner-city youth programs in L.A. and Detroit and the Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and endow a scholarship at USC. . . .

The NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports has recommended that spring football practice be eliminated or reduced drastically. A study showed that injuries are more prevalent during spring than season practices. . . .

The Dodgers would be in position to deal a future first-round pick for a relief pitcher. . . .

When “The Mickey Mantle Story” is made, Dennis Quaid has got to play the lead. . . .

Only in boxing: Dan Goossen, who is vice president of Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc., attended a news conference conducted by Don King on Tuesday. . . .

Goossen also happens to manage Gabriel Ruelas, who will challenge World Boxing Council super-featherweight champion James Leija on a King-promoted card Sept. 17 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. . . .

Ruelas-Leija and Felix Trinidad-Yory Boy Campas figure to be a lot better fights than the main event, the rematch between fading Julio Cesar Chavez and washed-up Meldrick Taylor. . . . Betting on pregnant horses this meeting at Hollywood Park would have been profitable. Nine mares in foal have won five races and finished second once. . . .

Pat Valenzuela, who ended his slump with seven victories last week, is being more careful about his weight. Reportedly, he had ballooned to 122. . . .

It’s funny how Mike Keenan found work in St. Louis so quickly after bolting the New York Rangers. . . .

Tay Brown, who died Saturday at 82, was the best junior college football coach at a time when JC football was very popular in Southern California. . . .

In 1948, his Compton College team, led by future Hall of Fame running back Hugh McElhenny, beat Pasadena before a large crowd at the Rose Bowl. . . .

Fastest woman in the world is probably Irina Privalova of Russia, who is unbeaten in the sprints this year and recently defeated Gwen Torrence in the 100 and 200 meters. . . .

Pole vaulter Scott Slover and discus throwers Scott McPherren and Suzy Powell, incoming UCLA freshmen, and high jumper Amy Acuff and 400-meter runner Cicely Scott, both sophomores, will compete in the world junior track and field championships starting today in Lisbon. . . .

Major League Soccer has a chance to succeed only if ticket prices are realistic. . . .

Promoters should try to attract families that can’t afford to attend NFL, NHL or NBA games. . . .

Roberto Baggio is getting a bad rap. Remember, Italy was trailing Brazil in the penalty kick shootout before he missed.

Golden State’s trade with Seattle should improve the Warriors. They got a player for the present, Ricky Pierce, and another for the future, Carlos Rogers, and Sarunas Marciulionis was expendable. . . .

Tickets for the John R. Wooden Classic that pairs UCLA-Kentucky and Kansas-Massachusetts Dec. 3 at Anaheim Arena go on sale Saturday and are the most expensive ever for a single-day college basketball event in Southern California--$75, $49, $35 and $22. . . .

A great success story is that of Mitchell Butler, an outstanding young man from UCLA who just signed a $2.2-million, four-year contract with the Washington Bullets a year after going undrafted by the NBA.