They Abandon Their Roles as Blade Runners

On the field, the Baltimore Orioles have proved this season that they can really cut it, but off the field it’s a different story.

When the Orioles signed bearded free-agent pitcher Rick Sutcliffe last winter, it touched off a hair-raising competition--from beards to mustaches to Brady Anderson’s attempt to bring back long sideburns.

In fact, Bob Milacki and Todd Frohwirth are the only Baltimore pitchers without facial hair, and that’s only because neither can grow any.

“It’s kind of sad,” Frohwirth told the Baltimore Sun.

Add Orioles: Manager John Oates has instituted a no-earring policy. So does that mean the Orioles won’t pursue Barry Bonds when he becomes a free agent?

“I may have to change the rule,” Oates said. “I’m very flexible.”

Trivia time: Who was voted the outstanding player of the 1978 College World Series, the last time USC won the title, with a 10-3 victory over Arizona State?

Star quality: Former UCLA basketball player Tracy Murray has had three agents and a public relations firm to represent him, and he hasn’t been drafted yet. Fred Slaughter is Murray’s new agent.

Fits like a butterfly: Coming soon to a store near you: the Ali Collection, a line of clothing inspired by Muhammad Ali.

ABC Sports and Nutmeg Mills are creating a collection of T-shirts, sweat shirts, caps, sweaters and jackets featuring Ali’s likeness as well as some of his most famous quotes.

Bush league: From the June 5, 1948 edition of the New York Times, in a story that Babe Ruth would present his autobiography to the Yale library in a pregame ceremony before a Yale-Princeton baseball game: “He will . . . present the book to Poppy Bush, the Eli’s captain and first sacker.”

Poppy ? The future president, of course.

Net results: How smart were the New Jersey Nets in hiring Chuck Daly as coach? Jan Hubbard of Newsday said it’s the best move the Nets have made since Aug. 1, 1973. What?

That’s when the Nets traded George Carter, Kermit Washington’s draft rights and cash to the Virginia Squires for Willie Sojourner . . . and Julius Erving.

Trivia answer: Pitcher Rod Boxberger.

Quotebook: Oriole Manager Oates: “As long as my son is in the house, he won’t wear earrings, and as long as I’m manager, my players won’t, either.”