It seems that a number of Mets fans aren't particularly thrilled with Citi Field's emphasis on honoring the memory of Jackie Robinson while seemingly ignoring the Mets' rich history.

I'm in New York this week, on "vacation," helping out with the care of my 88-year-old dad, perhaps the oldest living Giants fan who traces his fan roots to the Giants of New York -- John McGraw and Carl Hubbell and Mel Ott and Bill Terry. And the word on the streets -- or at least the word on the patio during a Father's Day get-together of family, friends and neighbors -- was that the Mets' new home, Citi Field, has overdone the Jackie Robinson memorials while ignoring the Mets' own tradition.

I think I can state with the utmost certainty that racism is not an issue in this discussion. The argument is basic: Robinson, a historic figure as the first African-American major leaguer in the 20th century, was a Brooklyn Dodger. And the Dodgers left Brooklyn more than 50 years ago. He was never a Met, never had any association with the Mets, who became New York's sole National League team in 1962.

So, the argument goes, why does Citi Field have numerous, very visible memorials to Robinson, but fans are hard-pressed to find anything memorializing, say, the 1969 and 1986 World Series championship teams? Why no memorials to Mets greats of the past, such as Tom Seaver?

Interesting questions.

Without Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco, the Oakland Athletics' so-called celebration of their 1989 World Series triumph was a sham.

I'm in New York this week, but thanks to my brother getting a MLB TV package, I was able to watch Tuesday night's Giants-A's game. Before the game, the A's held their 20th anniversary celebration of their 1989 World Series sweep of the Giants. And during the telecast, broadcasters Ray Fosse and Glen Kuiper talked with Dave Stewart, the ace of that '89 team; and Sandy Alderson, the general manager.

It was almost funny how the absences of McGwire (a hermit since suspicions of steroid use first surfaced) and Canseco (a pariah since he spilled the beans about rampant steroid use in MLB) were avoided.

Yes, the A's of 1989 were a truly great team, a team that also had Rickey Henderson, Dave Henderson, Walt Weiss, Dennis Eckersley and several other major contributors. But let's face it: Without Big Mac and Canseco, it wouldn't have been a team quite so formidable.

Alderson seemed to go out of his way to take cheap shots at Canseco. And Fosse made a strange comment -- saying that it was too bad that the Haas family (owners of the 1989 team) didn't own the team in the 1970s because the Haas family, unlike 1970s owner Charlie Finley, would have had the resources and commitment to make that era a real dynasty.

Huh? Say what you want about the legendary cheapskate Finley, but his teams of 1971 through '75, which he personally assembled, won five straight division titles and three straight World Series. If that's not a dynasty, I don't know what is.

And if Fosse, who played on some of those A's teams of the early '70s, thinks the Haas family would have been better owners, more likely to build a "dynasty," why didn't they? The A's made it to the World Series three years in a row under the Haas ownership, 1988-90, but won just once, in 1989. And they made the playoffs again in the early 90s, but didn't make it back tothe Series.

So, Fosse's point is lost on me.

There's a new book out, a biography of Satchel Paige, one of the most colorful, legendary figures in American sports history.

Janet Maslin gave "Satchel" by Larry Tye a strong review in The New York Times. She said Tye was able to tell Paige's story without succumbing to the plethora of hype surrounding him. Sounds interesting. Sounds like it's worth reading. I plan to read it, and I would think anyone interested in baseball history would be, too.

Part of the Paige legend that has most fascinated me over the years is a simple fact: On Sept. 25, 1965, at age 59, Paige started for the Kansas City Athletics against the Boston Red Sox. He pitched three innings, and held the Red Sox to no runs and one hit, a double by Carl Yastrzemski. Paige walked none and struck out one.

Last Sunday, Lennox Lewis was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. On the same day, the New York Times ran a story about ex-heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe selling memorabilia at a New Jersey flea market.

It's a story of stark contrasts. Lewis and Bowe met in the 1988 Olympics. Lewis stopped Bowe and won the gold.

In the pros, Bowe had a distinguished career, although he avoided Lewis and never fought Mike Tyson. Bowe fought Evander Holyfield three times, winning twice, including taking the heavyweight title. His one loss to Holyfield was the only defeat of his pro career.

But his two fights against Andrew Golota were strange, even by boxing's strange standards. He won both fights because Golota was disqualified for repeated low blows.

He had a truly bizarre stint in the Marines Reserves. That lasted less than a week.

He was in trouble with the law when he abducted his estranged wife and children.

And now he's selling memorabilia at flea markets to make ends meet; and at 42, he still claims his boxing career isn't over. Sad.

Lewis, on the other hand, overcame two losses by knockout (to Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman) and ended up as the best heavyweight of his generation -- better than Holyfield (whom he defeated once and got a draw that should have been a unanimous decision in his favor in the other); better than Mike Tyson, whom he pulverized and, of course, better than Bowe, who wanted nothing to do with Lewis.

Lewis also stopped Razor Ruddock, Frank Bruno, Shannon Briggs, Golota, Michael Grant, Tommy Morrison, Vitali Klitschko and Hasim Rahman.

And now Lewis is in the Hall of Fame. Good for him.

I'm going to write more about Lewis and Bowe in my Sunday column in The Press Democrat. You don't have to be a boxing fan to appreciate their stories. Check it out.

Dusty Rhodes, the hero of the Giants' last World Series championship -- a mere 55 years ago, died Wednesday at 82. What, besides having played for the Giants, did Rhodes have in common with Bonds?

Barry Lamar Bonds and James Lamar Rhodes shared the same middle name.

Besides the superstars of the day -- Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, Duke Snider, Ted Williams, Stan Musial and a few others -- Dusty Rhodes was the first baseball player to enter my consciousness.

I was all of 6 years old and had just returned from school to my family's apartment in Queens, N.Y., on Wednesday, Sept. 29, 1954. As I opened the door, Iheard my dad whoopin' and hollerin' with unrestrained joy. Willie Mays had just made his iconic over-the-shoulder catch some 470 feet from home plate in the eighth inning of Game 1 of the World Series.

No, my Dad wasn't unemployed. He was working nights as a building maintenance man, a shift that gave him the opportunity to see the World Series day games on TV.

In the 10th inning, with the score tied 2-2, the Giants sent up a pinch hitter, the wonderfully named Dusty Rhodes. I had never heard of him. In a few minutes, I would never forget him.

Facing future Hall of Famer Bob Lemon, Dusty hit a game-ending three-run homer. He hit it down the right-field line at the Polo Grounds, about 260 feet from home plate.

I was only 6, but the lesson was learned and has stayed in my mind all these years. Baseball, like life, isn't fair. Cleveland's Vic Wertz had hit a ball 470 and it was caught for an out. Rhodes hit a ball 260 feet and it won a World Series game and forever made his reputation.

Rhodes had quite a World Series in 1954. Four hits in six at-bats, two homers, seven RBIs. It was the year before the World Series MVP award was established. But anyone who saw that Series knew who the most valuable player was -- James Lamar "Dusty" Rhodes.

Omar Vizquel matched Luis Aparacio with his 2,677th hit Wednesday night -- the most by a player from Venezuela. Just how good was Aparicio?

Aparicio led the American League in stolen bases for nine consecutive seasons, 1956-64, with a career-high 57 in 1964 with the Baltimore Orioles.

He was also a nine-time Gold Glove winner, with the White Sox and Orioles.

He was the sparkplug on the 1959 pennant winning White Sox, and batted .308 in the World Series. He was also the sparkplug on the World Series champion Orioles in 1966.

With the White Sox in the 1950s, the double-play combo of Aparicio and Nellie Fox was the best in baseball.

Some day, Vizquel will be in the Hall of Fame along with fellow Venezuelan Aparicio.

How many old-school types remember this baseball ditty: "Spahn and Sain and pray for rain"?

It's from the 1948 Boston Braves, who won the NL pennant, due in large part to the accomplishments of their top two starting pitchers: Warren Spahn and Johnny Sain.

Sain posted a 24-15 record with a 2.60 ERA.
Spahn was 15-12, 3.71.

I think it's time to update the ditty and move it to San Francisco.

Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain are carrying the Giants. In fact, they may form the most dynamic one-two pitching punch in the majors today. After Wednesday's loss, Lincecum is 6-2, 2.72. Cain is 9-1, 2.39. Heck, Tim and Cain make Spahn and Sain look like a couple of journeymen.

Tim and Cain and pray for rain.

Works for me.

Last Sunday, in advance of the current SF-Angels interleague series, broadcaster Dave Flemming said fans would get a chance to revisit the 2002 World Series. Believe me, Dave, no Giant fan wants to revisit that heart-wrenching loss.

The Giants were up, 5-3, as the Angels came to bat in the bottom of the eighth inning. The Giants were six outs away from winning the World Series in six games. What followed has become a dirge to Giants fans:

Erstad homers off Worrell. Giants' lead cut to 5-4.
Salmon singles. Figgins pinch runs.
Anderson singles Figgins to third. Anderson moves to second on an error by Bonds.

Nen relieves Worrell.
Glaus doubles home two runs.
Angels take 6-5 lead.

Giants lose Game 6. Giants lose Game 7.< />

Darn. I think I just re-visited the 2002 World Series. Exactly what I didn't want to do.

As the Giants and A's concluded their interleague series Sunday, I asked blog readers to test their knowledge of the teams' connections over the years by taking the following trivia quiz. Here are the questions again -- this time with the answers below.

1. Who managed both the Giants and A's to the World Series?

2. Which of the Alou brothers played on both the Giants and the A's?

3. What player led both the Giants and A's in home runs?

4. Name the broadcasters who've done play-by-play or commentary for both the Giants and the A's?

5. What two future Hall of Famers on the Giants' pennant-winning team of 1962 later played briefly on the A's?

6. Who led the American League in stolen bases twice while with the A's and was second in the National League in steals while with the Giants?

7. What former Giants manager was also an A's broadcaster?

8. What Giants infielder and A's pitcher had the same first and last names?

9. Name the players involved in the trade that sent Vida Blue from the A's to the Giants.

10. What Hall of Famer pitched for both the Giants and A's?

Answers:

1. Alvin Dark took the Giants to the 1962 Series and won with the 1974 Athletics.

2. All three. Felipe in 1970; Matty in 1972; Jesus in 1973 and 1974.

3. Dave Kingman led the Giants with 29 in 1972; and he led the A's with 35 in 1984, 30 in 1985, and 35 in 1986.

4. Lon Simmons, Hank Greenwald, Jon Miller, Wayne Hagin, Greg Papa, Ted Robinson.

5. Orlando Cepeda and Willie McCovey.

6. Bill North.

7. Bill Rigney.

8. Steve Ontiveros.

9. Gary Alexander, Dave Heaverlo, Phil Huffman, John Henry Johnson, Gary Thomasson and Alan Wirth. The Giants later sent Mario Guererro to Oakland to complete the deal.

10. Rich Goose Gossage.

As the Giants and A's conclude their interleague series today, why not test your knowledge of the teams' connections over the years by taking the following trivia quiz.

1. Who managed both the Giants and A's to the World Series?

2. Which of the Alou brothers played on both the Giants and the A's?

3. What player led both the Giants and A's in home runs?

4. Name the broadcasters who've done play-by-play for both the Giants and the A's?

5. What two future Hall of Famers on the Giants' pennant-winning team of 1962 later played briefly on the A's?

6. Who led the American League in stolen bases twice while with the A's and was second in the National League in steals while with the Giants?

7. What former Giants manager was also an A's broadcaster?

8. What Giants infielder and A's pitcher had the same first and last names?

9. Name the players involved in the trade that sent Vida Blue from the A's to the Giants.

10. What Hall of Famer pitched for both the Giants and A's?

Answers in tomorrow's blog.