They Said It

? Ray (Boom Boom) Mancini, recalling a recent White House visit with President Reagan: "It's like meeting Santa Claus. You go in, shake his hand, have your picture taken and then you leave."

?Gordon King, New York Giants 6'6", 275-pound tackle, explaining why rookie Joe Morris, a 5'7" running back, is a welcome addition to the team: "He leaves plenty of room in the huddle."

?Tony Ayala, boxer, charged last week with burglarizing a home in San Antonio, offering as an explanation that he'd been drinking and mistakenly thought he was in his own home: "I knew I was in the wrong house when I went to go upstairs to bed and there were no stairs."

? Pete Babcock, San Diego Clippers assistant coach, assessing one of his team's middle-round draft choices: "You asked me if he can play for the Clippers and if he can play in the NBA. That's two different questions."