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- 1. 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 C M Y K SUNDAY, JULY 28, 2002 THE NEWS & OBSERVER 23A TODAY’S QUESTION Listening Post: Editorial: President Bush attacked Sunday Forum: For generations, Attorney general trial lawyers, but malpractice suits Readers are fed up America has looked to Roy Cooper are only a small part of the health- about the state baseball for its heroes outlines his care debate. PAGE 28A budget and the lack and its values. Now, proposals to of a statewide lottery big league keep the victims Columnist: Charles Krauthammer Final Word: vote. PAGE 27A baseball is of domestic on the danger of political Readers weigh INDEX violence safe stereotypes — conservatives in on President in big trouble. Will it Student Press . . . . . . . . .26A from their think liberals are stupid; liberals Bush’s first- Doonesbury . . . . . . . . . .29A survive steroids and a abusers. think conservatives are evil. strike policy. threatened strike? PAGE 26A PAGE 29A PAGE 25A www.newsobserver.com/q foul ball IT’S A MESS HIGH HOPES IF THERE’S A TO KEEP FANS, STRIKE, FANS VALUE WINS SHOULD RIOT OVER MONEY George Habel is vice presi- George Nixon, personnel director dent/baseball clubs of Capitol in the N.C. secretary of state’s of- Broadcasting Co. and general fice, is a longtime baseball fan who manager of the Durham Bulls, hopes to bring a Major League team the class AAA farm team of the to North Carolina. Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Strike threats, steroid use and salary caps are ripping baseball apart at the seams. BY GEORGE NIXON SPECIAL TO THE NEWS & OBSERVER BY GEORGE HABEL SPECIAL TO THE NEWS & OBSERVER Many say it’s past time for America’s pastime to straighten up and fly right. As James Earl Jones promised in My company owns two Minor the classic movie “Field of League baseball clubs, but I am HOW CAN BASEBALL SAVE ITSELF? Dreams,” I believe that people will writing as a fan. Minor league ball come to Major League ballparks — is all about the fans — intimate even if there is another strike. At- ballparks, low ticket and conces- tendance will fall, but “the game” sion prices, family entertainment will never die. I believe so strongly — so I am compelled to adopt a in the future of baseball that I am fan’s perspective. working to bring a Major League Sadly, the fans don’t have much team to the Triangle. of a voice in this dispute. Even “The game” cannot be destroyed though we buy $50 seats, because of what it represents in $6 hot dogs the fabric of our and $10 beers great country in fan-funded — memories of Major League playing catch stadiums, we with our dads don’t have a in the back seat at the ne- yard and Little gotiating table. League ball at If the owners the neighbor- and players fail hood diamond, Habel Nixon to resolve their and memories differences without a strike, a Eu- of great American heroes such as ropean-style soccer riot is in order! Cy Young, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, It is awfully ironic, given our sput- Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, tering economy, that the nation’s Sandy Koufax and Hank Aaron. major labor issue is a possible strike Many believe the problem with by millionaires against moguls. We baseball today is that teams from have reached the apex of absurdity smaller cities cannot compete in a service economy. It’s doubtful with teams from larger markets. that I could win a debate with union I disagree. After all, the Minnesota director Don Fehr or Commissioner Twins are in first place, and the Bud Selig, but I see 30 team own- Cincinnati Reds and Oakland Ath- ers who can’t agree on a sensible letics are challenging for the di- business strategy and players who vision lead. All three are small- have lost touch with reality. Indeed, market teams. baseball is a mess. STAFF PHOTO ILLUSTRATION Instead, the challenges facing Maybe Selig has overstated the BY SCOTT SHARPE AND SHYAM PATEL Major League Baseball begin with owners’ financial woes, but the misdirected intentions and poor economics of baseball are com- judgment by owners for the sake b pletely out of whack. When the BY CAULTON T UDOR two teams were thwarted. Lawsuits are almost routine. of cutting payrolls. Too many Yankees’ payroll is $126 million STAFF WRITER owners care more about making What began more than 150 years ago as a simple game and the Devil Rays weigh in at $34 a profit than fielding a winning million, the competitive disparity ig league baseball is a field of dreams no more. of throwing, catching, hitting and running has become an team. At the All-Star break, for in- is obvious. Meanwhile, the players Once the king of American athletics, the sport increasingly complex and combative business. And when stance, the Florida Marlins were (the average Atlanta Braves’ salary in playoff contention, yet they is staggering under a litany of troubles, from the baseball is ailing, America groans with it. is $3 million) resist any attempt to traded two of their best players, rein in their compensation while specter of a players’ strike to a steroid scandal. “Surely these people can’t be insane enough to kill base- Cliff Floyd and Ryan Dempster, to most of their employers flirt with Nowhere will the contrast between its storied tradition ball. If they do, they’ll kill a big part of America’s soul,” said cut payroll. insolvency. Here are the issues: The Marlins’ management mem- REVENUE SHARING AND SALARY and its current trauma be more striking than today in W.P. Kinsella, author of “Shoeless Joe.” “Baseball goes bers insisted they did not make CAPS: Owners need to split rev- Cooperstown, N.Y., where many of baseball’s all-time greats straight to the framework of America. It’s something that the trade to throw in the towel for enue more equitably within the will gather to toast legendary shortstop Ozzie Smith’s in- should be more important than the people who play it. the season, but to better the ball Major Leagues, and the players club. Fans know better, and at- should accept a salary cap. This duction into the Hall of Fame. Throughout a 19-year career, Baseball should be viewed as a national treasure.” tendance has plummeted. Not sur- seems to be working in the Na- Smith’s popularity rivaled his fielding expertise. As a young Dating back to Honus Wagner and Ty Cobb in the early prisingly, the Marlins’ record has tional Football League and National plummeted, too. On the other player in San Diego, he worked off-seasons as a gardener, 1900s, baseball has been the place where we found our he- SEE HABEL, PAGE 24A occasionally mowing lawns of Padres’ fans. As a star in St. roes and lasting lessons about competition, teamwork and SEE NIXON, PAGE 24A Louis, Smith drew furious fan support when the Cardinals fair play. In World War II, with many major leaguers in the balked at offering him a multiyear contract. armed forces, President Roosevelt fought efforts to suspend INSIDE WHAT DO YOU THINK? But for “America’s pastime,” such devotion is fading fast. play until the war was over. “In times of war and peace, “ ONE TEEN’S DREAMS: Will there be The annual All-Star game, once a symbol of baseball’s he said, “America needs its baseball.” Has baseball lost its luster? Write to anyone left to watch him play? 24A us at Final Word, The News & Observer, grandeur, ended with heavy booing this month in Mil- More than 50 years later, baseball is at war with itself. P.O. Box 191, Raleigh N.C. 27602; e-mail THE FANS: What do they think of baseball now? 24A waukee. Fans, already miffed by some players’ refusal to re- At the root of its internal strife is an ever-escalating finan- finalword@newsobserver.com or fax spond to pregame applause, reacted angrily when a tie was cial battle between owners and the players’ union. 829-4647. Letters must be signed and no ONLINE more than 250 words. Go to newsob- HOW TO LEARN MORE: Groups and declared after 11 innings. Ticket prices are up. TV ratings server.com/q to discuss online. Click Web sites newsobserver.com/q are down. The season began only after plans to shut down SEE FOUL, PAGE 24A Q forum in the “Speak Out” area. ISSUES ON DECK STRIKE THREAT DRUG TESTING FINANCIAL INSTABILITY ALL-STAR SNAFU UMPIRE DISPUTE CONTRACTION DISSENSION Although talks are ongoing be- Unlike most professional Baseball commissioner Bud Selig The season’s annual showcase Major League Baseball on July Owners tried to do away with Cleveland Indians’ owner Larry tween owners and players, the sports, Major League Baseball says many of the 30 franchises of talent was halted after 18 filed a lawsuit against the the Montreal Expos and Dolan criticized New York collective bargaining agree- has no drug-testing policy for are losing money. Just two weeks 11 innings when both teams ran umpires’ union alleging in- Minnesota Twins but dropped Yankees’ principal owner George ment expired in November. Un- street drugs or steroids. Some ago, Selig said two teams could out of pitchers and a 7-7 tie was subordination. It says union the idea. MLB then assumed Steinbrenner, saying the Yankees’ less a new one can be reached former players allege that have substantial difficulty declared. Many fans were chief John Hirschbeck told an ownership and operations of the high salaries have hurt the game. soon, the players haven’t ruled steroid use among players is meeting payrolls. He would not furious. umpire not to warn a pitcher for Expos. Fourteen former part- Steinbrenner responded, in so out a late-season strike. Their rampant. identify the teams. throwing at a member of the owners have sued, asking for up many words, by telling Dolan to salaries are a sticking point. opposing team. to $250 million in damages. mind his own business. 23A, SUNDAY, JULY 28, 2002 C M Y K 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90