Updated 8/6/2022 9:15 AM

• Former Portlander Peter Jacobsen is always gracious in sharing his opinion on subjects such as golf and, well, just about anything.

So when I called the Lincoln High and U of O grad with some questions for a new book project about Bill Schonely, I couldn’t help but steer the conversation toward Saudi Arabia-funded LIV Golf.

Players such as Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson have defected from the PGA for the riches provided by the country that is all-world in human rights violations.

“It’s an exhibition series,” says Jacobsen, 68, now retired from competitive golf after compiling seven victories on the PGA Tour while 26 times finishing among top 25 at one of golf’s four majors. “I wasn’t a great player, but I worked hard to protect my PGA Tour card. I never lost it, never wanted to give it up. I can’t imagine anyone giving it up or selling it, which is what a lot of these guys have done.

“If they need the money, nobody can criticize them. They’re like the guy at the crap table who runs up a big hand and then cashes out. They played their golf on the PGA Tour, won a lot of tournaments, raised their Q rating. Then along comes the LIV group and they want to start a circus, to become the Harlem Globetrotters of golf. These guys came along at the right time and they cashed their chips in.”

Jacobsen, who lives in Naples, Fla., says he’ll be looking on with interest with how things turned out for those who have left the PGA.

“We’ve probably seen the end of them playing competitive golf with outcomes that have any consequences,” says Jacobsen, the PGA Tour Comeback Player of the Year in 2003 and winner of the Payne Stewart Award in 2013, presented annually to the pro who best exemplifies the values, character, charity and sportsmanship of the late Stewart. “That’s how this will be. They made a decision that they think is best for them and their family. I wish them the best of luck, and I hope the money they’re being paid is going to satisfy them.

“I know a lot of them still have an inner desire, that fire in their belly to win majors and trophies. If you still want to play for green jackets and claret jugs and trophies, stay with the PGA Tour.”

When I mentioned Saudi Arabian involvement in ownership and management of LIV Golf, Peter’s response:

“I speak only for me, but I wouldn’t go into business with them. I don’t understand why (the PGA Tour players) left, but they did it. I don’t manage them. I don’t advise them. Had they asked me, I’d have advised them not to do it. Decisions based solely on money can come back to haunt you.”

Jacobsen, incidentally, remains busy. Through three weeks in July, he provided TV commentary for the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship at Lake Tahoe, the (British) Open and the Senior British Open. With his entertaining personality, he is still a popular figure in corporate outings. He continues to run Peter Jacobsen Productions, an event management company in Portland.

“And I’m trying to get a golf trivia game show off the ground,” he says.

• I have read and heard all the wonderful tributes to the late Vin Scully, who died Tuesday at age 94. And I concur.

He has few peers in the long history of play-by-play sportscasting. Nobody was better.

I met Scully three times over the years — all while I was working a game in Los Angeles. I don’t recall details of the first two meetings, other than I approached him in a press box, extended my hand to shake his, introduced myself and told him how much I enjoyed his work. He smiled, nodded and said he appreciated it.

The last time was when I was with the Portland Tribune in 2014, two years before he ended his 67-year career calling Dodger games. I combined a September trip to LA to cover Oregon State’s football game at Southern Cal with the opportunity to write a piece on ex-Oregon State standout Darwin Barney, who had recently been acquired by the Dodgers.

An hour or so before the game at Dodger Stadium, I was in the press dining area when I noticed, in an adjacent room, Scully sitting by himself. In his latter years, he had his own dining room — probably to prevent people like me from bothering him.

But I caught his eye, and he smiled, and I walked over and, again, shook his hand, told him my name and affiliation and expressed how much I admired the work he had put in for so many years.

“Well, thank you very much, Kerry,” he responded. “Nice to see you. Great night for a ballgame, eh?”

I said indeed it was, and scurried away, not wanting to take too much of the great man’s valuable time.

• I got a note from an old journalism prof of mine, Ted Carlson, now retired and living in Lake Oswego. The subject was former Boston Celtics great Bill Russell, who died Sunday at age 88.

“We are all saddened by the news of Bill Russell’s death,” Carlson wrote. “I’ve thought over the years of the brief time I had with him during the exciting (Elite Eight game) in March 1955 at Gill Coliseum in Corvallis. The San Francisco Dons were ranked No. 1 in the country and the Beavers No. 8. A lanky 6-10 center (Russell) led the Dons and OSC had 7-3 center Wade “Swede” Halbrook — a classic big-man matchup.

“OSC alumni volunteered as courtesy drivers to get the USF players to practice; this thin, long-legged player jammed his way into my small Ford. On the way to Gill for a practice session, Russell spotted Halbrook outside the student union building. It was his first view of his gigantic opponent, and he was more than mildly interested. Later, I found out photographers wanted a photo of the two together stretching for a high mark. And I was told Russell could outreach Halbrook. He outscored the Beaver center 29-18 to lead the Dons to a thrilling 57-56 victory when OSC’s Ron Robins’ last-second shot rimmed out. USF went on to win the national championship in Kansas City.

“Although our contact was brief, I still see Russell sitting in my car, with his chin almost on his knees. He didn’t complain. He was a classy guy.”

Here is video of that historic game:

 I watched the video last week. It was entertaining in an archaic type of way. The game is so much more played above the rim today. Both teams played hard on defense. Nobody handled the ball very well.

The big man matchup was interesting. Russell got the better of Halbrook, collecting 29 points on 11-of-14 shooting to go with 16 rebounds. Halbrook had 18 points, 10 boards and several blocked shots but made only 7 of 19 shots from the field. Oregon State double-teamed Russell much of the way, putting Halbrook behind him and a perimeter defender in front of him. Russell played Halbrook straight up but got help whenever the Beavers’ dumped it in to their giant.

Russell got most of his points off of tips and put-backs. None of his teammates — including guard K.C. Jones, who would go on to have a nine-year career with the Celtics — could shoot from the outside. Aside from Russell, they combined to make 7 of 23 shots from the field.

Halbrook — more athletic than you might guess — scored on a long hook shot and a reverse left-handed layup. Tony Vlastelica added 12 points, sinking several of his patented hook shots from the right baseline. But the Beavers shot only .362 from the field.

Interesting, too, that Jones, Russell and Halbrook were among the players who shot free throws underhanded, as many did in that era.

The Beavers trailed 57-51 inside a minute to go before making a frantic rally that fell short when Robins missed on a shot from a step inside the sideline with a few seconds left. It wasn’t close, hitting the front rim and bouncing away.

That USF team finished 28-1, losing only to UCLA in the second game of the season. In the third game, the Dons thumped Oregon State 60-34 at Kezar Pavilion. A week after escaping the rematch in Corvallis, USF beat La Salle 77-63 for the NCAA championship. A year later, Russell and company went 29-0 and successfully defended their title.

I had a one-on-one interview with Russell. It was in the mid-1990s, after he had unsuccessful stints as coach in Seattle and Sacramento. I was the NBA writer for The Oregonian, he was plugging some product, I think, and a PR assistant reached out to see if I’d like an interview. I said sure. We sat in a car on the loading dock at the Rose Garden and talked for 10 or 15 minutes before a Blazer game, and then his PR guy cut short an interview in which the big fella had no interest.

There’s no question Russell was a tremendous rebounder, shot-blocker and team leader during his time with the Celtics. But I wouldn’t include him among the 10 greatest players of all time. He couldn’t shoot and held a career .440 field-goal percentage, awful for a player who scored entirely on shots around the rim. That said, Russell might be the greatest winner ever in all of team sports. I’m sure that’s all he ever cared about.

• Don’t look now, but former Oregon Staters are two of the top eight candidates for American League Rookie of the Year honors, according to odds presented by BetMGM.

Former OSU teammates Steven Kwan and Adley Rutschman are gathering momentum as we head into the final two months of the regular season.

On Thursday, Cleveland’s Kwan extended his hitting streak to 18 games — a tear that began on July 14 — with an eighth-inning single, one of the Guardians’ three safeties in a 6-0 loss to Houston. Kwan, 24, batting .297 with a .370 on-base percentage and has been a plus-defender in left field for the Guardians, 54-51 and in the race for the American League Central title. He became an instant sensation in April, seeing his first 116 pitches without a swing-and-miss, the most for any player to start his career since 2000.

Baltimore’s Rutschman, also 24, is hitting .252 — up from .176 on June 14 — with safeties in 11 of his last 14 games. Since July 16, he is batting .400 with eight doubles, running his season total to 22. His on-base-plus-slugging percentage has jumped from .529 to .859. His defensive work at catcher has been praised, too. Orioles TV play-by-play announcer Kevin Brown calls him “probably the team’s best player.” The team’s SB Nation fan site says Rutschman “is already one of the baseball’s most important players.”

If he’s not there yet, he has a chance to get there some day. For now, he is helping make the Orioles relevant in the playoff race for the first time since the days of Brooks and Frank Robinson. At least, it seems like it.

The leading candidate for AL Rookie of the Year is Seattle’s Julio Rodriguez, currently on the 10-day injured list with a bruised wrist. Rodriguez is hitting .271 with 18 home runs, 57 RBIs and 21 stolen bases in helping the Mariners in their bid for an AL wild-card berth.

• Anyone else notice those “FTX” patches major league umpires are wearing?

It had me scratching my head. What does it stand for —a fire tax district initiative? Maybe a new airport code for Fort Ticonderoga, N.Y.?

I’m to learn that they are part of a sponsorship agreement between major league baseball and FTX, a company that helps people invest in cryptocurrencies.

So in other words, a public service. Thanks Blue!

► ◄

Readers: what are your thoughts? I would love to hear them in the comments below. On the comments entry screen, only your name is required, your email address and website are optional, and may be left blank.

Follow me on Twitter.

Like me on Facebook.

Find me on Instagram.

Be sure to sign up for my emails.