For Lakers, Playing in Chicago May Be Even More Taxing Task

It was painful enough for the Lakers and Magic Johnson to have lost to the Chicago Bulls in the NBA finals. But, if an Illinois lawmaker has his way, future games in Chicago could hurt Johnson & Co. not only on the court, but in the wallet.

A bill by State Sen. John Cullerton would tax out-of-state professional athletes when they play in Illinois.

Cullerton’s bill, which was tentatively approved by the State Senate Thursday, would only go after athletes from states that have similar tax laws. California is one of them.

Cullerton said he got the idea after reading that Michael Jordan and other Bulls had to pay California income tax for games at the Forum.

“It’s just a matter of equity,” Cullerton said.

Add Wallets: One season, a thief got into the Laker locker room at the Forum during a game and stole money from several players.

The next day, the players were talking about it on a flight out of town.

Johnson was laughing about the incident until somebody asked him if he had lost anything.

The smile froze on his face. He had never even checked. Slowly, Johnson reached into his pants and pulled out his money clip.

Now the laugh was on him. It was empty.

Trivia time: Coach Pat Riley of the New York Knicks; Dick McGuire, the club’s director of scouting; and Ernie Grunfeld, team vice president, have what in common, besides their current place of employment?

But did he get the frequent flier miles?Baltimore Oriole pitcher Mike Flanagan was telling Tony Kornheiser of the Washington Post about superstitious ballplayers.

“(Pitcher) Mike Cuellar was one of the most superstitious I knew,” Flanagan said. “When he pitched, he had to wear this certain hat.

“One day, we go to Cleveland, and the hat doesn’t make the trip. He panics. They had to get the hat and put it on the next flight out. Cuellar wouldn’t go out to the mound.”

Expansion? This league needs contraction: The NEC Falcons defeated the Onward Oaks, 7-2, in the 16th Pearl Bowl game played recently in Tokyo.

The Pearl Bowl is the championship game of Japan’s National Football Assn., an 80-team corporate league.

If it were the NHL, it would probably limit the playoffs to only the top 60 teams.

Trivia answer: All are former NBA first-round draft choices: McGuire from St. John’s to the Knicks in 1949, Riley from Kentucky to the then-San Diego Rockets in 1967 and Grunfeld from Tennessee to the Milwaukee Bucks in 1977.

Quotebook: Former New York Giant coach Bill Parcells on his new job as a television analyst: “I’m not going to be controversial, but, if somebody fumbles five times, I’m not going to say he’s having a ‘little trouble’ handling the ball.”