Maybe a Buzzer-Beater Will Be Needed in Contest to Name Street for Hearn

The pace has been as furious as an old play-by-play account by Chick Hearn--and nearly as colorful. More than 2,000 fans have voted on suggestions for a new street name to honor the Lakers’ late broadcaster near Staples Center.

Chick Hearn Court is the leading choice for the stretch of 11th Street between Figueroa and Cherry streets. The more imaginative Chick Hearn Dribble Drive is second, followed by Chick Hearn Lane.

The contest was started by City Councilman Nick Pacheco on the Web site www.lacity.org/council/cd14.

Final gun for the voting sounds Sept. 15, after which Pacheco will present the champion vote-getter to the City Council for approval.

Write-in suggestions that paid homage to Hearn’s patter include Nothin’ But Air Drive, Refrigerator Lane and Slam Dunk Avenue.

Then there’s one that may or may not have had the broadcaster in mind: Avenue of the Chicks.

Speaking of nothin’ but air: The police log of the Los Alamitos News-Enterprise said that a suspicious resident had reported a man “carrying a clipboard ... going door to door in a neighborhood, possibly selling something.”

He was selling himself--as a City Council candidate.

Another mystery solved: Then there was the woman “heard screaming and pounding inside an RV.” The News-Enterprise gave the explanation, obvious in hindsight. She was just chatting on a cell phone.

Unclear on the concept: Today’s curiosities (see accompanying) include:

* A laundromat that doesn’t seem to know that Sunday is one of the seven days of the week (photo by Marco de Leon of L.A.).

* A restaurant for which “daily” means only Saturday and Sunday (photo by Robert Cook of Arleta).

* A store entrance that doesn’t know whether it’s coming or going (photo by Gordon Mintz of Mission Viejo).

* And a porker that isn’t sure where it’s from (submitted by Bob Abrahams of L.A.).

Shocking movie-star revelation: I’ve always identified with Cary Grant--if you could see my photo you’d know why--and closely followed his formula for staying young.

He often said he disdained exercise and ate whatever he wanted. It’s long puzzled me that, while he stayed slim, I’m 15 or so pounds overweight.

Then I happened to read a biography of Grant by Charles Higham and Roy Moseley. Discussing Grant’s preparations for “To Catch a Thief,” they wrote:

“Although he told reporters he did nothing to maintain his fitness, this was typical of his cavalier attitude to the press. In fact, he now began each day with push-ups (he could still manage 20 at a clip), swam laps in his pool, did fast walking and exercised with a personal trainer.” Guess I’ll pass on the Virginia/Minnesota ham.

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Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LA-TIMES, Ext. 77083; by fax at (213) 237-4712; by mail at Metro, L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A. 90012; and by e-mail at steve. [email protected].