– Way down yonder: Now that the Saints have gotten by Tampa Bay to remain undefeated, their next game with Chicago is expected to be a bonanza for ticket scalpers in New Orleans. They`ve already surfaced for a few games. Police have tried a few dragnets, but the scalpers are dodging arrests with an old scam: They sell a T-shirt, or some other trinket, for $500 and toss in a couple of tickets as a bonus.
– Spreading it around: The Chicago City Council`s Committee on Parks and Recreation just heard reps of the Bulls and Cubs express satisfaction with the way sizable grants from the clubs were administered this past year by the city.
– The park district is in the second year of using a five-year, $1 million grant from the Bulls to upgrade basketball facilities in the parks. ”It`s always nice to see someone enjoy something we`re a part of,” said Bulls community services manager Sara Kalstone, who noted she drives by one of the refurbished sites-Union Park-on her way to the Stadium. Forty-four courts are scheduled to have been upgraded by the end of 1991. Chicago Parks Deputy Supt. Gene Sullivan said he`s approached the Bulls about broadening their involvement into programs, an idea that`s being considered by the club.
– Cubs community relations director Ellen Jensen said the team ”is certainly interested in expanding” its role in a three-year, $300,000 ”Cubs Care Rookie League” program, which centers on use of pitching machines and other equipment for start-up youth leagues. There were 11 park locations this year, and there are plans for 22 in `92 and 33 more in `93. Sullivan said the highlight for the past season was an All-Star Game at Seward Park, in which white players from Eckhart Park competed on the predominantly black Cabrini-Green housing project`s home diamond.
– They like Charlie: No one suffered more through Atlanta pitcher Charlie Leibrandt`s misery in the World Series opener than patrons in The Studio in Morton Grove. That`s the restaurant owned by the parents of Leibrandt, who was a three-sport star at Loyola Academy before playing baseball at Miami of Ohio. The Studio, a speakeasy during Prohibition, has been in the family for three generations. Charlie`s relatives were in Minnesota, but extra TV sets-it`s not a sports bar-were brought in for Game 1. There was dining in the lounge, and the regular musician was told to take a break. ”It didn`t work out for Charlie this time, but he`ll be back,” promised one employee.
– Looking tall: Jimmy Rodgers` reign as the Timberwolves` new coach bodes well for Dan Godfread, a product of Stillman Valley, Ill. The former Evansville University power forward was picked up by Minnesota from Rockford in the Continental Basketball Association in midseason last year and then was virtually ignored by coach Bill Musselman. ”He just sort of fell through the cracks,” said a club official. Godfread, with a new lease on his career, played well in summer leagues and now has a two-year deal. Rodgers thinks he`ll fit well in the up-tempo scheme he`s planning. A lengthy holdout by No. 1 draft Luc Longley only strengthened his case.
– Crowd pleasers: The White Sox, with their mark of 2,965,176 fans, were one of eight major-league clubs to set a club single-season attendance record this season. The others were Toronto, Boston, Baltimore, Texas, Atlanta, Pittsburgh and Seattle. The Blue Jays became the first club to break the 4-million mark. – When there`s a Will: Will Robinson, first black to get the head basketball coaching job at a Division I school when he came to Illinois State in 1970, will be honored at a dinner Monday at the Palace in Auburn Hills, Mich. Robinson, in his 80s, still works for the Pistons. Former Illinois State AD Milt Weisbecker, who hired him for the Redbirds, will attend the dinner with Doug Collins, who played for Robinson at ISU. ”They`ve wanted to toss a testimonial for Will for years, but he kept putting them off,” said Weisbecker. ”Now it`s grown to where they`re expecting 1,200.” Proceeds will benefit Detroit area high school sports.
– Scribbling: Is it too soon to start thinking about baseball at Northwestern? The Wildcats` opener is Feb. 20 at UCLA. . . . The man behind Hawthorne Race Course`s Dec. 11 ”Race of The Century,” a computerized competition among the best thoroughbreds ever to run, is George Smith. He`s a graduate student and instructor at Illinois Institute of Technology. . . . Right idea: Glenview`s Paul Kolososki, 74, won a bronze medal in the Over-71 shuffleboard competition in the fifth National Veterans Golden Age Games in St. Petersburg, Fla. . . . Chicagoland Golf newspaper`s Top Five public courses for 1991 are Pine Meadow, Kemper Lakes, Cog Hill No. 4, Seven Bridges and Golf Club of Illinois. Dick Nugent was the architect for three of them.
– And finally: Cheer up, Cub fans. It turns out the organization is providing inspiration in the World Series. The Twins` Kirby Puckett, a Chicago native, keeps a picture of former Cub great Hack Wilson in his locker. Wilson is one of Puckett`s heroes. Kirby, who`s 5-8 and 220 pounds, said he admires the ex- Cub for his size. Wilson was 5-6, 190.
