These Guys Think Aaron’s Still in Right

John Schuerholz, general manager of the Atlanta Braves, was not amused when two long-haired spectators--wearing nothing but tennis shoes--jumped out of the stands, ran along the first base line and slid into home plate during a recent game at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.

“They ought to take those two guys just as they are and put them in an unoccupied cage at the zoo,” he said. “It was like they were two hippies out of the ‘60s that just woke up from a Grateful Dead concert.”

Warned in time: Bill Pickel, former Raider defensive lineman now with the New York Jets, says that team officials and players knew about Lyle Alzado’s use of steroids and tried to persuade him to stop, but to no avail.

“They told him he would be dead in five years if he didn’t stop doing it,” Pickel said. “They told him to stop, but he said he felt great. He kind of made a joke about it. Lyle was going to do what Lyle was going to do. It was his persona and image, (but) it makes you sick to see him now. It’s devastating.”

Trivia time: Chris Gwynn made the last out of Dennis Martinez’s perfect game Sunday against the Dodgers. Who was the Dodger who made the final out when the Yankees’ Don Larsen threw his perfect game in the 1956 World Series?

True confusion: National anthems were not played at University Games medal ceremonies, but flags were raised to the accompaniment of the anthem of the FISU, the governing body for the games.

It was confusing for those who didn’t know the procedure.

After hearing the tune for the eighth time in one evening, a spectator was heard to say, “I don’t know which country that is, but they’re winning everything!”

Matter of priorities: Drag racer Eddie Hill, as do most race drivers, spends much of his time on the road between races. After packing and unpacking during a recent 7,711-mile trip for National Hot Rod Assn. events, Hill commented, “Sometimes a cracked block or a bad blower is easier to cope with than not having any toothpaste or a clean uniform to put on in the morning.”

The rich and famous: Blackie Sherrod of the Dallas Morning News notes that in Judy Nelson’s lawsuit against former lover Martina Navratilova, “she asks visitation privileges for the couple’s dog.”

Looking back: On this day, in 1954, Joe Adcock hit four homers and a double in the Milwaukee Braves’ 15-7 victory over the Dodgers--Brooklyn, that is.

Remember Eric?: Eric Dickerson is nearly 31, and one NFL personnel director rates him as only the 37th-best running back in the league, but the former Ram says it would make good sense for fantasy league players to grab him.

“I’m ready to go,” Dickerson told Len Pasquarelli of the Atlanta Journal. “If I get the cracks, whoosh, man, look out. Anybody who says there’s no spring left in these legs . . . well, ask the first tackler who tries to hit me.”

Sounds reasonable: When West Texas State was punished by the NCAA in 1976, one of the sanctions was this one: “Require director of athletics to learn NCAA recruiting legislation.”

Bugged out: Wally Dallenbach Jr. has a new sponsor for his Winston Cup team--Orkin Pest Control. He has named his car “the Exterminator.”

On the tee: Richard Boone, a 15-handicapper from Power Springs, Ga., didn’t hesitate in accepting a 1991 Chevrolet Geo for making a hole in one in a charity tournament, even though it meant he would lose his amateur status.

“I’m in real estate and a builder,” he said. “The way the market is, I need it to pay bills. First, though, I’m going to get a status tag for the car that says, ‘Golf Pro.’ ”

Child’s view: When Pittsburgh Pirate outfielder Andy Van Slyke went into a hitting slump, his 7-year-old son A.J. suggested: “Maybe you can talk the other team into throwing to you underhanded.”

Trivia answer: Pinch-hitter Dale Mitchell took a called third strike.

Quotebook: Veteran driver Manny Esquerra, on racing in the Baja 1,000: “Being in the Baja is like being in a 24-hour plane crash.”