Big Night

Him again? Cal's back -- and tonight's game is on WJZ, Channel 13, so all viewers can see him move past Lou Gehrig to capture baseball's record for good attendance. ABC's Sam Donaldson also returns from cancer treatment for a notable interview on "PrimeTime Live."* "Orioles Baseball" (7:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m., WJZ, Channel 13) -- This is it! And if you have to ask "what?" you must have been living on another planet. Cal Ripken Jr. is expected to set a new consecutive-games-played record of 2,131 tonight at Camden Yards.

Today is a major day for baseball fans: Two postseason games, including one played during that increasingly elusive setting known as daylight. And if you don't like baseball, there's always Gershwin.* "American League baseball playoffs" (3 p.m.-conclusion, WBAL, Channel 11) -- Game 2 from Chicago, with the White Sox squaring off against the Toronto Blue Jays in the only mandatory daytime game of the American League championship series. The only other sunshine contest would be Game 5, should the loser last night win at least one game before then.

NEW YORK - By a coincidence of timing, the city's music scene had a pronounced Russian accent Friday night. At the same hour that Yuri Temirkanov was leading the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in a Shostakovich concerto with one of the world's greatest violinists at Carnegie Hall, Mstislav Rostropovich was leading the New York Philharmonic in a Shostakovich concerto with one of the world's greatest pianists at Lincoln Center. And in a neat twist, the BSO program opened with the New York premiere of a mesmerizing work by Giya Kancheli written in 2002 as a 75th birthday salute to Rostropovich.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. -- By 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon, the movie studios were empty, the nominees were all dressed up and drinking champagne, and the streets around the Los Angeles Music Center resembled a barricaded war zone in which the police, the paparazzi and demonstrators engaged in running skirmishes.By late afternoon, the freeways were gridlocked in pre-holiday-style traffic as everyone rushed home to turn on the television set.It was Oscar Day 1992."For most of my life I saw the Oscars as an occasion to stay home, laugh at the outfits, boo and applaud the winners, and groan at everyone stumbling through their speeches," said Ted Tally, who was nominated for an Oscar for best adapted screenplay for "The Silence of the Lambs."

If you can handle another six hours of baseball today - and you have access to more than just the local baseball broadcast - you have the option of watching a pretty amazing split doubleheader tonight. The Tampa Bay Rays need to right themselves now. They open a huge series at Yankee Stadium tonight with David Price facing Yankees ace CC Sabathia in the opener. Price is a leading Cy Young candidate with his 17-5 record and 2.54 ERA. Sabathia has not put up his usual gaudy numbers, but he is still one of the top starters in the majors.

RICHFIELD, Ohio -- Cleveland Cavaliers coach Lenny Wilkens alternated Chucky Brown, Craig Ehlo, Larry Nance and Danny Ferry in an attempt to slow Bernard King.Unfortunately for Wilkens, he could not use all four at the same time.King scored a season-high 46 points, hitting 20 of 29 shots in leading the Washington Bullets to a 109-89 victory over the Cavaliers last night before 12,543 at the Richfield Coliseum.Harvey Grant, scoring 16 second-half points, added 24. Ledell Eackles gave Bullets coach Wes Unseld 13 points off the bench.

Every September, very little children take a very big step - into the pre-kindergarten program at Harlem Park Elementary School. Most don't know the entire alphabet or how to find their classroom. But by May, almost all of the 4- and 5-year-olds can write their names - first and last - and navigate the West Baltimore school. But before they graduate, Helen Froneberger, a 20-year teacher there, has one more big-kid experience for the children: Prom. It's a way, she told them, to celebrate their accomplishments, dress up, eat and have their pictures taken.

HERSHEY, Pa. -- They honored Frank Mathers at the Hersheypark Arena last night, but the Baltimore Skipjacks stole the show.Mathers, longtime player, coach, general manager and president retiring after this season and this was supposed to be his night as the largest crowd of the season -- 7,725 -- jammed the arena.The Skipjacks ruined the fun, however, pounding the Bears, 6-3, in an important American Hockey League Southern Division game. The victory was the second in a row for the Skipjacks and enabled them to hold on to third place in the division and creep two points closer to second-place Binghamton Rangers, who lost to the Capital District Islanders, 4-3."

In 15 matchups, the city's elite amateur boxers will face off against the best of the District of Columbia, Philadelphia, New York and New Jersey, adding up to one huge bash on Saturday. Baltimore's Best Boxing Bash, hosted by the Upton Boxing Facility, starts at 7 p.m. Saturday. More than 40 boxers, ranging from ages 8 to adult, are registered, said Portia Harris, associate director of the city's Department of Recreation and Parks. Angelo Ward, 19, began entering tournaments three years ago and has gained a lot of prestige as last year's Golden Glove Regional Champion and Boxer of the Year.

Naomi Watts sparkled in a gorgeous Versace gown. Nicole Kidman wore Chanel couture and her hair in a cascade of curls. Liv Tyler's Givenchy gown was a fabulous study in black. This year's Academy Awards show was a high-glam, leap day's journey into night. Fashion faux pas were few as actresses - draped in chiffon, tulle and silk - chose to emulate bygone eras of elegance. Hair was softly curled, shoulders were bare, and cleavage ruled the night. The Oscars ritual returned to its showy self after two years of relative solemnity imposed by the Sept.