To Dizzy and Yogi, This World Always Made Perfect Sense

Dizzy Dean, who died in 1974, had some memorable lines during his broadcasting days, such as: “The runners have returned to their respectable bases.”

But maybe Dean’s best lines came when he was still playing. According to Bill Adler’s new book “Baseball Wit,” he came up with this one after being asked if his toe was fractured: “Fractured, hell! The damn thing’s broken.”

Another time, after being beaned during the 1934 World Series, Dean said: “The doctors X-rayed my head and found nothing.”

From Adler’s Yogi Berra collection:

--”If the people don’t want to come out to the park, nobody’s going to stop them.”

--”We have deep depth.”

--In a telegram to Johnny Bench after Bench broke Berra’s record for most home runs by a catcher: “Congratulations on breaking my record. I always thought the record would stand until it was broken.”

--On Yogi Berra Night at Yankee Stadium: “I want to thank all you people for making this night necessary.”

--About Toots Shor’s: “It’s so crowded, nobody goes there anymore.”

Trivia time: Henry Bibby, named coach of the Springfield Fame of the U.S. Basketball League on Tuesday, is the answer to what trivia question?

Blind date night: Pat Williams, general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers who is known for his far-out promotions, once offered men odd-numbered seats and women even-numbered seats. Fifty-six eager men took part, but only four women.

True blue, er, red: Don Sutton, who is scheduled to once again go after win No. 298 Thursday night when the Angels face Detroit, played for the Dodgers for 13 seasons before testing the free-agent market in 1981. He has sinced played for Houston, Milwaukee and the Angels.

“I’m the most loyal player money can buy,” Sutton says.

Just visiting: Len Bias of Maryland watched Game 1 of the NBA championship series from near the Boston bench, a guest of the Celtics. Does that mean the Celtics, who will pick second in the NBA draft on June 17, will select Bias?

Not necessarily, Celtic President Red Auerbach said. “We’re just bringing guys in for physicals,” he said. “You want to make sure they’re OK in case you do decide to take them.”

Trivia answer: Who is the only player ever to play on championship teams in the NCAA, NBA and Continental Basketball Assn.? Bibby played on three of John Wooden’s championship teams at UCLA, played on the 1973 championship New York Knick team as a rookie, and, after NBA stints with New Orleans, Philadelphia and San Diego, finished his career by helping the Lancaster (Pa.) Lightning win a CBA title. Springfield, Bibby’s new team, won the USBL championship last year. The USBL season begins June 10.

Quotebook

Former catcher Bob Uecker, on how to catch a knuckleball: “Wait until it stops rolling and then pick it up.”