Notes on a Scorecard - Oct. 1, 1991

Most of baseball may be rooting against the Dodgers, but it’s reassuring to know that the president of the National League isn’t. . . .

Bill White finally showed some clout and displayed common sense by reinstating Cincinnati reliever Norm Charlton for the Atlanta series. . . .

If the Dodgers win the NL West title at dreaded Candlestick Park this weekend, it won’t be the first time. . . .

Tommy John pitched the Dodgers to a 3-1 victory over the Giants that clinched the championship in 1977, which was Tom Lasorda’s rookie year as manager. . . .

However, unlike the final day of the 1982 season, when Joe Morgan’s home run cost the Dodgers a tie with the Atlanta Braves, hardly anyone remembers the occasion. There were still 11 games remaining on the Dodger schedule and they finished 10 games ahead of the second-place Cincinnati Reds. . . .

Mickey Hatcher, who played the game as hard and with as much joy as any other Los Angeles Dodger, deserves a standing ovation tonight when he is honored in pregame ceremonies. . . .

Another example of the Giants’ Roger Craig over-managing and favoring veterans over young pitchers was his decision to lift Bryan Hickerson after the rookie had pitched six shutout innings Sunday night. . . .

In the same game, Mike Scioscia, the famed plate blocker, looked more like a first baseman when he short-hopped a relay throw from Lenny Harris and tagged out Mike Felder at the plate in the fifth inning. . . .

The Dodger schedule next season includes an 18-game home stand that begins June 25. . . .

Another team, the New York Mets, has bypassed Don Baylor, who would make a terrific manager. . . .

Los Angeles quarterbacks Jay Schroeder and Jim Everett aren’t getting much respect this season--even from their coaches. . . .

On third and goal at the five-yard line late in the first half and the score tied, 3-3, Sunday at the Coliseum, the Raiders sent Steve Smith into the middle of the 49er line. He gained three yards and the Raiders settled for a 20-yard field goal by Jeff Jaeger. . . .

On third and goal at the nine-yard line in the first quarter of a scoreless game at Anaheim Stadium, the Rams called a draw play against Green Bay. Robert Delpino was stopped and the Rams settled for a 30-yard field goal by Tony Zendejas. . . .

The Raiders and 49ers have played eight consecutive quarters against one another without a touchdown having been scored. The Raiders won, 9-3, in 1988 at San Francisco. . . .

But I can’t remember a louder or more enthusiastic crowd for a regular-season game at the Coliseum than Sunday’s. The 49ers even had trouble hearing signals and were called for illegal procedure three times when they had the ball deep in Raider territory in the west end. . . .

The attendance of 91,494 was bigger than the combined attendance for the first two Raider home games, against Denver and Indianapolis. . . .

All five quarterbacks who suited up had previous L.A. connections--Steve Young (Express) and Steve Bono (UCLA) of the 49ers, and Jay Schroeder (UCLA), Vince Evans (USC) and Todd Marinovich (USC) of the Raiders. . . .

It’s unlike John Robinson-coached teams to fade in the second half. . . .

Nick Bell--6-2, 250, powerful and slippery--may become the next great Raider running back. . . .

It’s not fashionable to draft kickers high, but Washington State’s Jason Hanson, who booted a 62-yard field goal against Nevada Las Vegas Saturday night, is a potential first-rounder. . . .

Among Florida State’s accomplishments Saturday at Ann Arbor, Mich., was limiting Michigan, with that mammoth offensive line, to less than three yards a rush. . . .

When he led the Dallas Cowboys on their winning touchdown drive against the New York Giants, Troy Aikman demonstrated that he is maturing into a top-flight NFL quarterback. . . .

Deion Sanders is the first athlete to play for two pro teams in the same city since Gene Conley of the 1961 Boston Red Sox and Celtics and the first to play for two teams on the same home field since Steve Filipowicz played for the New York football and baseball Giants at the Polo Grounds in 1945. . . .

Fight promoter Bob Arum is a newlywed. . . .

The NHL needs a president who understands the importance of television. . . .

The Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames must not like each other. Forty-five penalties were called in their exhibition game the other night. . . .

I hope Stanford isn’t caught looking past Notre Dame to Cornell.