At Least He Got a Rise Out of Them

The next time you ask your boss for a raise, consider this: A soccer player in Honduras in Central America said that the military officers who own his team threatened to kill him for asking for a raise.

“Soccer players are supposed to act like soldiers, and the military considers it a crime to tell the truth,” said Juan Fernando Palacios, goalkeeper of the first-division Real Maya team, which is owned by the Honduran army.

Palacios said he began receiving threats after he had asked the team to double his monthly salary of $250.

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Trivia time: What was the longest night game in National League history?

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Striking back: Richard Murphy of Henderson, Nev., was fed up with baseballs flying into his house and yard from an adjacent park’s Little League diamond, so he got even by literally stealing the bases.

Since buying the house in March, 1994, Murphy said has collected about 250 balls in his yard, despite a block wall, a 35-foot-high net and a row of pine trees 219 feet from home plate.

Murphy was seen taking the bases by police, however, and was arrested on suspicion of larceny.

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Self serving: Scott Ostler in the San Francisco Chronicle: “Gary Player wins a senior tournament, says, ‘This new driver has given me unbelievable confidence,’ and isn’t it a zany coincidence that the driver is made by Gary Player Golf Equipment?”

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Medical problem? Alan Truex in the Houston Chronicle: “Oakland’s Dennis Eckersley, 41, blew seven of 19 save chances, shot his ERA up to 4.83 and said, ‘It would be easy to quit if I thought I stunk. A lot of people might think I stink, but I don’t think so.’

“Apparently, he has another problem: blocked sinuses.”

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The Golden years: Victor Alexander and Carlos Rogers, who were traded to the Toronto Raptors in the deal that brought B.J. Armstrong to the Golden State Warriors, lashed out at their former team:

“Golden State has eight guys who think they’re All-Stars,” Alexander said.

Added Rogers: “I’m just glad to be away from that selfish environment. If one guy’s got 25 [points], another guy wanted 26.”

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Ouch! Nick Canepa in the San Diego Union-Tribune: “[Lanny] Wadkins says he’d be willing to return as Ryder Cup captain. I’m sure Gerry Faust wouldn’t mind returning to Notre Dame, either.”

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Mania: The Broncos are so popular in Denver that center David Diaz-Infante, a member of the practice squad, has his own radio show.

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Trivia answer: The Dodgers lost to Houston, 5-4, in 22 innings, on June 3, 1989, in a game that lasted 7 hours 14 minutes.

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Quotebook: Owner Art Modell of the Cleveland Browns on Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones: “He’s a hell of a salesman. Very verbose. He gets tearful on cue. Reminds me of Jimmy Swaggart.”