Notes on a Scorecard - Aug. 24, 1994

Enjoy this World Series--the Little League World Series on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC--because you might not get to see another one this year. . . .

Billy Ashley has hit more home runs than any Albuquerque Duke since Greg Brock in 1982, but the Dodgers are hoping the strikeout-prone left fielder doesn’t turn into another Brock in the major leagues. . . .

It turns out that the Raiders didn’t get such a bargain when they took Iowa running back Nick Bell in the second round in 1991 with the 43rd pick overall after he had been projected by most draftniks as a first-round selection. . . .

Sign of the times: Free agent cornerback Toi Cook signed a one-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers for the veterans’ minimum of $162,000, but could make as much as $838,000 in incentives that would bring his take to $1 million. . . .

The new rule that restricts defensive backs’ physical contact with potential receivers must be a factor in some of the dandy pass completion percentages during the exhibition season. . . .

UCLA will conduct its annual Football Preview Day Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Rose Bowl. It is open to the public, free, and includes a practice session, field goal contest and autograph and photo opportunities. . . .

The Bruins’ opening-day opponent Sept. 3, Tennessee, has had more first-round NFL draft picks since 1984 than any other school. The 14th was Heath Shuler, the quarterback picked third overall by the Washington Redskins after his junior year. . . .

Former Duke All-American halfback Jay Wilkinson has written a book about his late father, “Bud Wilkinson: An Intimate Portrait of an American Legend,� (Sagamore Publishing, Champaign, Ill., $19.95). . . .

Of USC’s 40 leading rushers, a list that includes four Heisman Trophy winners, who has the highest average per carry? Howard Elliott, who netted 1,384 yards on 195 carries from 1925-27 for a 7.09 average. . . .

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It had been thought that only 50,000 seats might be ready at the Coliseum for the USC-Washington game Sept. 3, but all 68,000 in the reduced-capacity setup will be available. The east end will be opened for the Notre Dame game Nov. 26, increasing capacity to 94,159. . . .

The NCAA will have a $190.1-million budget for the 1994-95 fiscal year, $151.9 million coming from its contract with CBS sports. . . .

NBC has signed one of the best TV sports reporters, Jim Gray, formerly of CBS and ESPN. . . .

Look-alikes: David Cone and actor Andrew McCarthy. . . .

John Paxson, the Chicago guard who announced his retirement after an 11-year career, will be remembered most here for his 65% shooting during the Bulls’ five-game series victory over the Lakers in the 1991 NBA finals. . . .

Still don’t think Nick Price is in a class by himself? With three-quarters of the year’s tournaments having been played, Price is the only multiple winner on the PGA tour. He has won five, including the PGA Championship and the British Open. . . .

Sugar Ray Leonard, Eric Dickerson and James Worthy have joined the field for the Los Angeles Golf Classic, a benefit for the Big Brothers of Greater L.A., Sept. 12 at the Riviera Country Club. . . .

Those who believe boxing is dying might have to change their thinking when Mike Tyson, who is eligible to be released from prison next May, returns to the ring. . . .

Can you imagine the television audience for his first fight back, no matter the opponent? . . .

Roberto Garcia will not have a Tyson kind of payday when the unbeaten 19-year-old featherweight from Oxnard fights Frankie Avelar Saturday at the Grand Olympic. But Garcia got a nice perk from Top Rank, Inc., the other day during his first visit to Beverly Hills--a $70 haircut from a Rodeo Drive stylist. It was the first time anybody except his father had cut his hair. . . .

The first boxing show at the Huntington Park Casino on Sept. 7 will feature the comeback attempt of Rafael (Bazooka) Limon. . . .

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Long Beach State will raise its 1993 women’s NCAA volleyball championship banner Saturday night at the campus gym before an exhibition against the alumni. . . .

The two biggest favorites of autograph seekers at the Commonwealth Games at Victoria, B.C., are Roger Bannister and John Landy. It was 40 years ago that Bannister outdueled Landy in their famous mile during the Games in British Columbia. . . .

Among those Rams visited by the Turk--the title given to the person assigned to tell NFL players they have been cut--was punter Matt Turk.