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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
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