Is 13 a lucky number for Castilla?
Former Colorado Rockies third baseman Vinny Castilla wears uniform No. 9. No. 13 might suit him better.
A recent article about home run historian David Vincent in Parade magazine listed the most home runs hit in the major leagues on a Friday the 13th. Castilla has six — tied for the most with Reggie Jackson and George Foster.
Castilla's six homers on Friday the 13th have come while playing for three different teams. He hit three playing for the Rockies -— including one in each game of a doubleheader played Aug. 13, 1999, at Coors Field against the Montreal Expos.
Castilla hit two homers playing for the Houston Astros on July 13, 2001 against the San Diego Padres. He hit one for the Atlanta Braves on Sept. 13, 2002, against Florida, and on Aug. 13, 2004, Castilla homered for Colorado against Pittsburgh.
Castilla will have to be on a playoff team to hit lucky No. 7 on a Friday the 13th. The next time the majors could have a game played on a Friday the 13th is Oct. 13, 2006.
NOTEWORTHY
› World Boxing Council president Jose Sulaiman said he intends to propose a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program in select countries around the world. Sulaiman will make the proposal official at the WBC's annual convention Oct. 2-8 in Spain. In a statement, Sulaiman said, "It is very sad to see how many boxers, who had great careers and became sporting heroes of the world, end their lives in the paws of drugs and alcohol, which are the cancer of modern society. The WBC wants to do something about it."
› Which running back has the longest scoring run in Denver Broncos' history? You might choose Terrell Davis. Or Floyd Little, or maybe Clinton Portis. The answer is Gene Mingo, whose 82-yard run against the Oakland Raiders on Oct. 5, 1962, has stood in the Broncos' record book for four decades. Floyd Little (Oct. 25, 1970) and Mike Anderson (Nov. 26, 2000) both have 80-yard scoring runs.
› Worth speculation: Former University of Cincinnati men's basketball coach Bob Huggins coached Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin. And the Nuggets have free-agent DerMarr Johnson still unsigned and Nick Van Exel interested in coming back to Denver -- both former Bearcats under Huggins. Just wondering if Huggins might land a job in Denver as an assistant or scout.