European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 5, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The final weekend braves at Home dodgers on Road the stars and stripes by Ben Walker a baseball writer Ian year the dodgers have been favored to win the no West. Now with Atlanta and los Angeles All even going into the last weekend its no secret which team is the favorite. A if Atlanta wins it will help baseball and ail the people in the South a san Francisco manager Roger Craig said. 1 giant Pitcher John Burkett knows who hell Root for. A i hate the dodgers he said. Ive been in this organization since 1983, and there a always been a rivalry even in a Ball. We had five six brawls against them one  giants will have their Chance a again a to deny the dodgers a championship when they were to Start a three game series Friday night at candlestick Park. In mid August fans at candlestick chanted a sweep sweep sweep during a three game set that san Francisco actually swept from its longtime rivals. The braves meanwhile will be at Home against Houston the worst team in the league. Steve Avery was to Start the three game series for Atlanta Jeff Juden seeking his first major league Victory was the astros Choice. A i think even . Felt it was going to come Down to the last weekend or the last Day a said Brave Pitcher Tom Gla Vine the first 20-game Winner in the majors. A we feel pretty Good about it. Now lets see if we can get a Little bit of help. There is nothing the giants would like More than to Louse up los Angeles. And a lot of people  mind seeing Atlanta which trailed the dodgers by 9vi games at the All Star break pull it out. A i want the braves to win a san Francisco a will Clark said. The giants beat the dodgers in 1951 on Bobby Thomson a Home run in the playoffs knocked them out again in a three game playoff in 1962 and took away another no West title in 1982 when Joe Morgan homered against them on the last Day a at candlestick a to give the braves the championship. A ill manage like they re world series games a said Craig who pitched Brook fun to a Victory in the 1955 world series c. Ltd  ilk a the first time the dodgers won the championship. A maybe Well make our season in three  that kind of talk bothers some people. Like Darryl Strawberry of the dodgers. A i know they re going to come out and play their hardest but that a the Way you re supposed to play every game in t it a Strawberry said. A if they want to beat us so bad they should have beaten us when it counted for  the giants did sort of. They hold an 8-7 Edge Over los Angeles and won four of six in  on How the weekend goes the final Days might go even longer. Dodgers general manager Fred Claire called a a Heads in a Coin flip last month and los Angeles won the toss and the right to Host a one game playoff monday night. U but if it goes that far it might not be such Good news for los Angeles. There have been five playoffs in no history and the dodgers have been involved in every one. They be lost four times. They were swept in a Best of three by St. Louis in 1946, and lost to the new York giants in 1951 on Thomson a ninth inning shot in the deciding third game. It was the same thing in 1962, when they lost to san Francisco in a Best of three and in 198u a the Only time an no division was tied at the end a Houston won a one game playoff in los  Only time the dodgers won was in 1959, when they stopped the two time Champion Milwaukee braves in a two game sweep. On thursday a Day for baseball to catch its breath both the braves and dodgers rested. Several of the braves played Golf. A a it a just a regular Day off for us Quot said Pitcher John Smoltz scheduled to pitch saturday. A a there a 10 of us and we re having a Little tournament like we always  Avery Charlie Leibrandt and Alejandro Pena were among the pitchers who played. A right now Charlies the favorite a Smoltz said. A a in a right behind him and penal a right there too. He a probably the favorite underdog a just like we  meant no disrespect in Bush snub Deerfield 111. Apr Michael Jordan says he Wasny to trying to be disrespectful when he skipped the president Bush at the Whit  Jordan explain to the press Why he did not go with i teammates on a visit to the White House. Chicago bulls visit with president Bush at the Onue House. And besides he says he already had met Bush a when he was vice president. The Star of the Aba championship team said he opted to spend a quiet three Day vacation with relatives rather than travel to Washington with other team members to meet Bush. And to reporters wanting More details Jordan said a a it a none of your business. A a in be seen George Bush before so it Wasny to like i was missing out on another big Opportunity a Jordan said thursday. A i done to think he was different from the first time i met him except he a the president. I meant no disrespect.�?�. Jordan said bulls management gave him late notice of tuesdays engagement. Also be noted the event took place during the off seasons final Days. Practice begins  if you want to make it a team thing or an organization thing give up a Day of practice and lets go. I m an for that a Jordan said after the bulls Media Day at the teams practice site in this Northern Chicago suburb. If Bush minded Jordan a absence he did no to say so. In fact Bush offered Only Praise a Michael Jordan performs a Host of Good works with a series of charities and through his foundation.�?�. Forward Horace Grant was not so understanding. A a in a very disappointed because it was a great Honor for the whole City of Chicago As Well As the bulls organization a Grant said. A not to have your Best play a and your team Leader there is just like sending somebody else beside George Bush to saudi  while some local Media assailed Jordan a decision As a presidential snub others staunchly defended in Cagos in residence basketball hero. Inside sports College football tonight on to Page 25 Ramstein Munich golfers grab titles Page 26 Strawberry paying dividends Page 29 twins lose pair i tuneup a Page 30 rangers Swap 3 for oilers Messier a a _ a m 1,1 f 1 new York apr the Edmonton oilers traded malcontent superstar Mark Messier to the new York rangers on Friday for three players making Good on Messier a prediction last month a i done to think you la see me in that uniform  Messier a contract dispute with the oilers dates Back to last Winter but he said his later Trade demands also revolved around the clubs inability to win thursdays nil openers a Page 26 he said last Over the past two seasons. A a it a about winning a month. Along with Messier the rangers received future considerations in return for Center Bernie Nicholls right Wing Steven Rice and left wring Louie Debrusk. The rangers said Messier 30, Winner of the Hart trophy As the leagues map after the 1989-1990 season would be ready to play saturday night in Montrea. Messier was part of five Stanley cup championship teams in the past Sev years at Edmonton playing along Siu Wayne Gretzky. But Gretzky was traded to los Angeles in 1988, and Edmonton has been on t decline since. Messier blames the gut for not keeping their Good  As free agent Departee Adam Graves