Notes on a Scorecard - July 25, 1991

Sign of the times: The USC athletic department has hired a psychologist. . . .

“Dr. Vivian Fernandez Credidio will help our young men and women cope with their adjustments to college life and the pressures they face as student-athletes,” Athletic Director Mike McGee said. . . .

In retrospect, Dodger General Manager Fred Claire should have kept Hubie Brooks and traded Kal Daniels. . . .

Those new dark blue padded fences at Dodger Stadium make the distances seem shorter. . . .

How misleading was reliever Dennis Cook’s 1.17 earned-run average with Los Angeles? It got him a plane ticket to San Antonio of the Texas League. . . .

Ol’ No. 53, Don Drysdale, celebrated birthday No. 55 by working overtime in the broadcasting booth Tuesday while Vin Scully was out because of a sore throat. . . .

In one night, Mitch Webster accomplished more for the Dodgers than Jose Gonzalez did in three months. . . .

National League President Bill White ought to give Cincinnati pitcher Rob Dibble plenty of time off to think about all the stupid things he does. . . .

Look-alikes: Tommy John and the Galloping Gourmet. . . .

The best race in baseball is for the American League batting title. . . .

Greg Litton of the San Francisco Giants played all nine positions against the Minnesota Twins in the Hall of Fame exhibition game at Cooperstown, N.Y. Only two players have done it in a regular-season game--Campy Campaneris of the Kansas City A’s and Cesar Tovar of Minnesota. . . .

The final season of baseball at Memorial Stadium could mean an attendance record for the Baltimore Orioles, although only the Cleveland Indians are saving them from last place in the American League East. . . .

The real Raider-49er game isn’t until Sept. 29, but the first appearance of Ronnie Lott and Roger Craig against their old San Francisco teammates should spice up the exhibition Saturday afternoon at the Coliseum. . . .

When an NFL veteran announces his retirement this time of year, it usually means he has been asked to retire. . . .

San Diego State was the only Southern California school to place a player on Street & Smith’s preseason football All-American first team, wide receiver Patrick Rowe. . . .

Syracuse is expecting big things from Rocket Ismail’s brother, Qadry. . . .

The goalie on the U.S. water polo team that won the gold medal in the World University Games was Dan Hackett of UCLA. As a result of donations by an alumni group, the sport has been saved at UCLA and Hackett will return for his senior year. . . .

Eight future Bruins will get their first chance to play in the Rose Bowl Saturday in the Shrine all-star football game. . . .

Roy Riegels, famous for his wrong-way run for California in 1929 against Georgia Tech, will be among those inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame on Aug. 8. . . .

There’s so much talk about it, you would never know that the Evander Holyfield-Mike Tyson fight is still 3 1/2 months away. . . .

Perhaps the biggest reason for the mediocre marks being posted in boys’ high school track and field competition in recent seasons is the poor caliber of coaching resulting from a lack of funds. . . .

The New York Yankees are doing better without George Steinbrenner, but he can take pride in the fact that Tony Dees of Steinbrenner’s Florida Clippers Track Club ran the third fastest 110-meter hurdles ever, 13.05 seconds, Tuesday. . . .

Mark Spitz will attempt to qualify for the U.S. Olympic swimming trials in the 100-meter butterfly at the Los Angeles Invitational, which begins today at USC. . . .

Future book: Riviera Country Club is the favorite to hold the 1998 U.S. Open. . . .

Nick Faldo needed a special wild card to play for Europe in the Ryder Cup matches because he isn’t among the top 10 ranked players on the European PGA tour. . . .

Not all is wrong with thoroughbred racing while Del Mar and Saratoga are conducting their meetings. . . .

Elden Campbell of the Lakers, Greg Anthony of the New York Knicks and Tom Lewis of the team representing the Philadelphia 76ers have been impressive in the Summer Pro Basketball League at Loyola Marymount. . . .

The Lakers will play the Clippers on Christmas Day at the Sports Arena. . . .

Bruce McNall took in the Dodger-Phillie game Tuesday on the club level and said he doubted that the Kings would make another major deal before next season. . . .

Raider Howie Long, on training camp: “The difficult part is making the transition from being husband and father and running the household to totally eliminating yourself from your other life and becoming a football player.”