When It Comes to Aces, Texan Knows His History

Hoolie White doesn’t remember who was president when he made his first hole in one. It was either Franklin D. Roosevelt or Harry Truman.

Bill Clinton was definitely in office for the second.

“It was the same hole as the first one,” said White, 91, who, on April 28, duplicated his mastery of the par-three, 139-yard sixth hole at the Anson (Texas) Golf Club, a nine-hole course he has played since it opened in 1938.

White still owns a sizzling course record of 29 on the par-36 layout. He plays every weekday, reserving weekends to clean house and to mow his block-long lawn in Anson, 22 miles northwest of Abilene.

Trivia time: Who holds the single-game NBA finals record for three-point baskets without a miss?

Better than Nomo? Designated hitter Pete Incaviglia of the Baltimore Orioles, on New York Yankee pitcher Hideki Irabu, with whom he played in Japan:

“I played with Nolan [Ryan]. I played against [Roger] Clemens in his heyday, Randy Johnson, [and] they don’t throw any harder than this guy.”

Comment by Tom Keegan of the New York Post: “Once [George] Steinbrenner’s got a taste of Irabu, he’ll want an entire roster of players from Japan. That way he would have everyone bowing to him.”

Polite observation: Florida Marlin catcher Greg Zaun, after fielding a ceremonial first pitch thrown by Miss Universe: “I’m not sure what her talent segment involved, but I don’t think it was executing the split-fingered fastball.”

Can it be? The Chicago Cubs have improved dramatically since starting the season 0-14.

“Nobody has run off with the division,” Cub first baseman Mark Grace said. “You may witness the greatest comeback in history. Why not?”

Get with it: Bob Walk, broadcaster and former major league pitcher, on pitchers who complain that they don’t know what their roles are--starter, middle reliever, setup man, closer or what: “Your role is to get guys out.”

Looking back: On this day in 1982, the Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers set an NBA finals record for a fourth quarter by combining for 76 points, 38 by each team. The Lakers won, 129-108, and also took the series, four games to two.

For the record: Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz holds the NBA playoff record for consecutive free throws in a game without a miss--18. He set it during the recent series with the Lakers.

Trivia answer: Scott Wedman of the Boston Celtics, with four, against the Lakers on May 27, 1985.

And finally: Tony Gwynn is the best hitter in baseball and the worst guy to talk to about stealing signs.

“I hate it,” the San Diego Padre right fielder told the Sporting News. “I don’t even want to know. I mean, guys are always talking on the bench about how a pitcher is holding his glove, or his arm angle, or whatever. When I hear that, I have to get up and walk away because I just don’t want to know.”