His Say is Not Magic in Detroit

In December of 1978, when it looked as if the Detroit Pistons might get the No. 1 choice in the 1979 draft, Joe Falls of the Detroit News offered the club some advice.

Of one particular player, he wrote: “He is not superstar material for the NBA. Maybe he can grow into it, but he isn’t there yet, and some pro scouts wonder if he will ever get there.

“In effect, he has only one shot. That’s a soft one-hander when he works his way through the middle, and it is hard to see how that would be enough in the pros. Do you think those big boys in the NBA will let him float through the lane and get off such a shot? They’ll slam the ball back in his face.”

Falls listed a number of players he thought would help the Pistons more, including Bill Cartwright of San Francisco, Jim Bailey of Rutgers and David Greenwood of UCLA.

The player he wrote about was Magic Johnson of Michigan State.

Would-you-believe-it Dept.: Tom Seaver is traveling with the New York Mets in order to get into shape, and Frank Cashen, the general manager, asked the Montreal Expos if it would be possible for Seaver to play squash each day against Expo President Claude Brochu, a squash champion.

The request was turned down.

An Expo spokesman said: “We can’t help get Seaver into shape and then take a chance that he’ll come out and beat us.”

49 Years Ago Today: On June 15, 1938, four days after he no-hitted the Boston Braves, Johnny Vander Meer of the Cincinnati Reds pitched his second straight no-hit game, beating the Brooklyn Dodgers, 6-0. It was the first night game in Ebbets Field history. Making the last out for Brooklyn was shortstop Leo Durocher on a fly to center.

On this date in 1902, Corsicana defeated Texarkana, 51-3, in a Texas League game played early because of the Sunday blue laws. In the game, Nig Clark of Corsicana took advantage of the small park and hit eight homers. Some telegraph operators, thinking there was a mistake, reported the score as 5-3.

Trivia Time: On this date in 1949, at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago, how did Ruth Ann Steinhagen make headlines? (Answer below.)

For What It’s Worth: There are seven ex-Dodger pitchers who have won more, or as many, games this season as Fernando Valenzuela (5-5). They are Sid Fernandez (8-2), Rick Sutcliffe (8-3), Rick Rhoden (7-4), Dave Stewart (7-6), Tommy John (6-2), Charlie Hough (6-2) and Ted Power (5-2).

Doyle Alexander might have made the list, but he didn’t make his first start for Atlanta until May 26. He’s 2-1.

Detroit Manager Sparky Anderson, on Matt Nokes, who has started at catcher, first base, right field and as the designated hitter: “He’s one boy you can’t confuse. Do you know he’s the best chess player on our team?”

CBS announcer Gary McCord, describing the length of the rough that enveloped Mike Reid’s ball on the 16th hole of the Westchester tournament: “About the length of Don King’s hair.”

From Richard Justice of the Washington Post: “Mets outfielder Darryl Strawberry has run up $1,750 in fines this year and management is worried and angry. He was at a disco at 4 a.m. Tuesday before showing up late for batting practice.”

Trivia Answer: She shot and seriously injured first baseman Eddie Waitkus of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Quotebook

Kansas City Manager Billy Gardner, on the eve of the amateur draft, when asked which clubs were most likely to draft his son, Billy Jr.: “The Army, Air Force or Marines.”