What was going on when I was born?

Joe Montana, the quarterback, is by far the most important player for the 49ers. The offense was built around his quickness and his rollout ability. But what if he is hurt? The 49ers would be doomed because the reserve, Guy Benjamin, is inexperienced and by pro football standards has a mediocre passing arm. This is less of a problem for Cincinnati because of the pro ven ability of Ke n Anderson's backup, Jack Thompson.

The Canadian Development Corporation has agreed to purchase a controlling interest in the Savin Corporation, which markets copiers, word-and data-processing machines and other office equipment. Under the terms announced yesterday by Robert K. Lowe, Savin's president, Canada Development has been granted options to buy 38 percent of Savin's shares at $9 each. Last Friday, a day after Savin announced that it was negotiating to sell control to an unidentified multinational company, Savin's commonclosed on the New York Stock Exchange at $8.3 75, down $1.375 on the day, but up 25 cents point for the week. At t hat price, the transaction, involving about 2.4 million comm on shares, would be valued at about $21.2 million.

In a comparison of personnel, which does not always determine who will win, the Bengals have an edge on the 49ers at wide receiver, offensive line, running back, linebackers and special teams. The two would be even at quarterback and in the defensive line, while the 49ers' edge is defensive backs. The Bengals are impressive from the time th ey come out to warm up. They are big, with overall speed to go with their size. Their kind of football is so simple. They u se fewer formations thanthe 49ers - on offense or on defense. They have great speed at skilled positions. At wide receiver, for example, Cris Collins worth just goes flying by would-be defenders.

After what wildlife experts call ''a tremendous comeback'' spurred by a ban on the pesticide DDT, the once-rare osprey has re-appeared in modest numbers on the lakes and waterways of New York and has been taken off the state's endangered species list. ''The statu s of the osprey has changed significantly in the last few years for the better,'' said Eugene McCaffrey, an official of theState Departm ent of Environmental Conservation. ''We now consider it out of danger .'' But eight other animals threatened with extinction - including the moose, the golden eagle, the lynx and the massasauga rattlesnake - have been added to the list, which is kept by a federally financed unit of the State Environmental Conservation Department.

The struggling Philadelphia 76ers lost more than another game to the Nets, 105-97, at Byrne Meadowlands Arena today. In the early minutes of the their third consecutive loss and their sixth loss in the last eight games, Darryl Dawkins received a fractured right shin bone. He is expected to be sidelined six to eight weeks. Dawkins, the powerful 6-foot-11 1/2-inch, 252-pound center who was 25 years old last Monday, was making his first start after missing two games and four of the last five with tendinitis in the left knee. He was injured with 3 minutes 15 seconds remaining in the first quarter going up for a shot on the left side of the lane, with Mike Gminski challenging him. Dawkins went down in pain and lay on the court as play moved to the other end.

Because of an editing error, an arti- cle on Saturday incorrectly described a ''loophole primary,'' which Demo- crats are seeking to reinstitute. In such a primary, the names of candi- dates for delegate to the Presidential nominating convention would be per- mitted to appear on the ballot, so long as the name o f the Presidential candi- dates the del egates favored also ap- peared.

A pattern of discrepancies in the reporting of campaign contributions made to Representative Frederick W. Richmond of Brooklyn has emerged in an examination of official records and in interviews with listed givers and aides. Some of the discrepancies concern thousands of dollars raised by a Brooklyn shipyard operator who got hundreds of millions of dollars in Navy repair contracts, often with Mr. Richmond's help. In some cases the sources of contributions were said to have been disguised. One woman listed as a contributor said she was given $200 in cash in exchange for writing a check that was later reported by the campaign under her name. Other contributions were given in the names of wives, and erasures on campaign work sheets show the removal of some company affiliations.

Just when temperatures seemed to be on an upswing, the temperature plummeted yesterday, bringing New Yorkers their coldest day yet this winter. The mercury in Central Park hit 0 at 8:30 A.M. - a drop of 25 degrees from the same time Saturday. Early-morning readings in the surrounding areas were also low: 2 below in Deer Park on eastern Long Island; 4 below in Newark, and 1 degree in White Plains. When it dropped to 0 in Central Park, the winds were blowing up to 30 miles an hour and it felt like 50 below, according to the National Weather Service. Yesterday's temperature was not a record for the date, however; in 1977, it was 2 below.

CINCINNATI PAUL BROWN'S players used to call it The Speech. They would get it the first day of training camp every year. Two hours of Paul Brown on what to wear. How to talk. When to smoke. Whom to associate with. The talk was so long, Paul Brown took two breaks. But when it was over they knew what it took to play football for Paul Brown, perhaps the most successful coach in the history of football. They knew that he had standards that went beyond blocking and tackling and running. ''Do it my way,'' he would tell them, ''or hit the highway.'' And there was one other thing about those speeches. Paul Brown explained who was in charge. This is how one of his less-reverential former Cincinnati Bengal players, Pat Matson, remembered Brown asserting authority that first day: ''One time he told the owner of the team, John Sawyer, to stand up. As soon as he stood up, Brown told him, 'Sit down.' And Brown said, 'I'm the last word.' I read it as, it wasn't going to be like it was in Cleveland. You can't go to anybody else.''

An article in Metropolitan Report Saturday incorrectly named two boys who fell through the ice and drowned in Prospect Park Lake in Brooklyn. Norman Cox and Michael Cook drowned; Robert Cox and Ronald McCloud were hospitalized.

Contributions to the 70th annual New York Times Neediest Cases Fund have set a record, exceeding the one established two years ago. Donations over the weekend have brought the total received to $1,276,829.27, with about six weeks remaining before the drive formally ends. The previous high was $1,271,250.07, received during the 1979-80 campaign. This year is the 12th in a row that contributions have exceeded $1 million. ''This record outpouring of generosity at a time of economic uncertainty is heartwarming proof that the poor and sick have not been abandoned,'' Fred M. Hechinger, president of The New York Times Foundation, said yesterday. 'Interim Statement of Thanks'

Japan and Western industrial nations agreed on topics to be discussed at a new round of trade talks that are to begin in Geneva next November. The talks, under the auspices of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, are to focus on broader trade in service industries and on reducing restrictions on foreign investment. (D1.)