Notes on a Scorecard - Nov. 15, 1989

Name That Tune: When bugler Jay Cohen calls the horses onto the track for the first race of the Hollywood Park fall-winter meeting today, he will be playing, “Call to the Post.” . . .

Cohen, a 38-year-old former band director from New Jersey who has blown the trumpet for the Burbank Symphony and the Pasadena Community Orchestra, rotates 15 fanfares. The more important the occasion, the longer the fanfare. The opening race of the meet will merit special attention although it is merely a 1 1/6-mile event for $10,000 claimers. . . .

According to Blood Horse magazine, “Call to the Post” originated in the cavalry when it was played to alert grooms to bring their horses from the picket line to the parade grounds. . . .

Charlie Whittingham has four horses nominated for the Hollywood Derby Sunday, but another Charlie horse--Charlie Barley from Canada--could steal the show. . . .

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has dropped his lawsuit against former agent Tom Collins. . . .

Maybe Terry Donahue shouldn’t regret turning down that offer to coach Atlanta in the NFL. The Falcons are 3-7 this season, same as UCLA. . . .

After a USC football player once celebrated in a fashion that didn’t suit Marv Goux, the former Trojan assistant coach warned him, “If I see you give the No. 1 sign again, I’m going to break your finger.” . . .

An omen for Saturday? Todd Marinovich’s alma mater, Capistrano Valley High School, beat Bret Johnson’s alma mater, El Toro, 22-21, Friday. . . .

No UCLA team with a losing record has ever beaten USC. . . .

The swimming circuit is becoming lucrative. Matt Biondi, who won five Olympic gold medals in Seoul, reportedly is being guaranteed $10,000 in appearance money for a meet in Italy. . . . With apologies to the Bottom Ten’s Steve Harvey, here’s the Bottom Five in the NBA over the past five years: Clippers 73.4 losing percentage, Sacramento 63.9%, New Jersey 63.4%, Indiana 62.2%, San Antonio 62%. . . .

Moses Malone and Caldwell Jones are the only two former ABA players still in the NBA. And only Jones can say he once played for Coach Wilt Chamberlain of the San Diego Conquistadors. . . .

The annual survey by Clipper publicist Bill Kreifeldt shows that the average player in the NBA this season stands 6-7.09, weighs 214.82 pounds, is 26.79 years old and has 3.95 years of experience. Coming closest to the overall average is Chris Mullin of the Golden State Warriors. . . .

Detroit is the oldest team, the Clippers the youngest; the Lakers and San Antonio are tied for the tallest, Denver is the shortest; Dallas is the heaviest, Atlanta the lightest. . . .

Jim Lampley, who has been the busiest newscaster-sportscaster in town, is down to three jobs--Channel 2 anchorman and HBO boxing and Wimbledon announcer. The North Carolina graduate still follows college basketball, though, and claims the Tar Heels will be better without J.R. Reid. . . .

With all that big money to be had, it’s mind-boggling that so many heavyweight contenders, including the 253 1/2-pound Michael Dokes, who won Monday night at the Forum, refuse to get into fighting shape. . . .

Look-alikes: Tom and Dick Van Arsdale. . . .

Fellow managers Sparky Anderson and Don Zimmer will be among those roasting Tom Lasorda Saturday at Bally’s in Las Vegas, a benefit for the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center. . . .

McNamara’s Traveling Band: New Cleveland Indians Manager John McNamara will tie the record of Jimmy Dykes and Dick Williams by managing in his sixth major league city. . . .

Jose Santos has replaced Angel Cordero as the best of the eastern jockeys. . . .

If couplets are your thing, you’re sure to like Philadelphia’s backcourt of Hawkins and Dawkins. . . .

No wonder baseball owners want to do away with arbitration. Last year, the average salary of players ineligible for arbitration was $120,000. Those who were eligible and had between three and six years of experience averaged $696,000. . . .

Bob Boyd, who has been named coach of the year in four conferences during his career, will make his Chapman College debut tonight against the Australian national “B” team. . . .

Sarunas Marciulionis, the Warriors’ guard from Lithuania, reminds me of Gail Goodrich. . . . In case you haven’t noticed, the main difference in uniforms between NFL and NCAA teams is that the pros wear long stockings and the vast majority of collegians don’t. . . .

After being told by Loyola Marymount Coach Paul Westhead that LMU would be playing LSU on CBS this season, a recruit said, “That’s great, coach, but who’s LSU?”. . . .