Concepcion’s Dream Goes Down Drain

Dave Concepcion of the Cincinnati Reds had a dream that he broke Joe DiMaggio’s record of hitting in 56 consecutive games.

The veteran shortstop, working on a 17-game streak, told Manager Pete Rose before Monday’s game with San Francisco: “I dreamed I went to 56 games and then took it to 61.”

Rose reminded Concepcion that to break DiMaggio’s record he first would have to break the National League record of 44 games.

Rose, who holds the record, told Concepcion: “I’ll tell you something, Davey. If you get to 43 and make an out in your first at-bat, you are coming out of the game.”

Was Rose kidding? We’ll never know. In Monday’s game at Candlestick Park, Concepcion went 0 for 4.

So much for dreams.

Add Rose: At the start of the season he needed 95 hits to break Ty Cobb’s record, but he said he’s not going to stop there.

“I never heard of a player who had a good year with 95 hits,” he said.

From an NBA scouting report: “Has deadly shot with quick release and great instinct. A better-than-average passer. Not a leaper, but gets his share of key rebounds. However, is slow afoot and that may hold him back in the NBA.”

A report on St. John’s guard Chris Mullin? Nope. That was a 1979 report on a forward from Indiana State. His name? Larry Bird.

If the Indiana Pacers draft Wayman Tisdale after the New York Knicks take Patrick Ewing, should the Clippers choose 7-footer Benoit Benjamin of Creighton?

Dick Versace thinks so. He’s the coach at Bradley, which played against Benjamin in the Missouri Valley Conference.

“If I were starting a pro franchise, I’d want Ben to be my center,” said Versace.

Does Manute Bol, the 7-6 center from the Sudan, have the heart to play in the NBA?

Said his agent, Frank Catapano: “Look, the kid killed a lion with a spear. Who else in the NBA did that?”

Add Bol: NBA scout Marty Blake quoted an assistant coach as saying, “Bol can’t play a lick. He’d have to gain 40 pounds and he can’t gain an ounce.”

Said his agent: “Sure, he’s got to gain weight. He’s 198 now. But he’s eating five times a day. The kid loves to eat.”

How-times-have-changed dept.: Ralph Guldahl, director of golf at Braemar Country Club in Tarzana, was a back-to-back winner of the U.S. Open in 1937 and 1938. The courses were Oakland Hills in Birmingham, Mich., and Cherry Hills in Denver. His winning purse each time was $1,000.

Sunday, Andy North joined Guldahl as a winner on both courses. His prizes were $45,000 in 1978 at Cherry Hills and $103,000 in 1985 at Oakland Hills.

Skip Bayless of the Dallas Times Herald, on the U.S. Open: “This was more of a Lite Beer Open. John Madden should have called the action for ABC. Bubba and Butkus should have played for Seve Ballesteros and Payne Stewart. Bob Uecker would have made a great T. C. Chen.”

From Wayne Gross of the Baltimore Orioles, who has hit six of his eight home runs on Sundays: “In the last three seasons, I’ve hit over .300 in day games. I have no idea why. I even had my eyes checked. I don’t know why the Cubs haven’t traded for me.”

Herschel Walker, a longtime fitness freak, said he’s easing off at age 23.

“I still run a lot,” he said. “But I’m only doing 300 push-ups at a time now.”

Only?

Quotebook

Jack Nicklaus, on the victory of Jack Nicklaus II in the North and South Amateur at Pinehurst, N.C.: “It’s hard being the father of a famous son.”