European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 5, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The final weekend braves at Home dodgers on Road the stars and stripes Orts october 5,1991 a Page 32 by Ben Walker a baseball writer All year the dodgers have been favored to win the no West. Now with Atlanta and los Angeles All even going into the last weekend it s no secret which team is the favorite. A if Atlanta wins it will help baseball and All the people in the South a san Francisco manager Roger Craig said. Giants Pitcher John Burkett knows who hell Root for. A i hate the dodgers a he said. A a in be been in this organization since 19s3, and there a always been a rivalry even in a Ball. We had five six brawls against them one  the giants will have their Chance a again a to deny the dodgers a championship in a three game series at candlestick Park. In mid August fans at candlestick chanted a sweep sweep sweep a 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. A i think even la Felt it was going to come Down to the last weekend or the last Day a said braves 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  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 9 a 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 a in la manage like they re world series games a said Craig who pitched Brooklyn to a Victory in the 1955 world series 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 Isnit 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  hold an 8-7 Edge Over los Angeles and won four of six in Francisco. Depending 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. That like All of this weekends games will be on to. 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-3 by St. Louis in 1946, and lost to the new York giants in 1951 on Thomson a ninth in Ning shot in the deciding third game. It was the same thing in 1962, when they lost to san Francisco in a Best-of-3, and in 1980 a the Only time an no division was tied at the end a Houston won a one game playoff in los Angeles. The 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 a 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  Michael Jordan explains to the press Why he did not go with his teammates on a visit to the White House Jordan meant no disrespect in Bush snub Deerfield 111. Apr Michael Jordan says he was t trying to be disrespectful when he skipped the Chicago bulls visit with president Bush at the White 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  a a in be seen George Bush before so it Wasny to like 1 was missing out on another big Opportunity a Jordan said thursday. A i done to think he was different front the first time i met him except he a the president. I meant no  Jordan said bulls management gave him late notice of tuesdays engagement. Also he noted the event took place during the off seasons final Days. Practice begins today. A if you want to make it a team thing or an organization thing give up a Day of practice and lets go. In mall 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  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 player 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 Chicago a in residence basketball  football tonight on to Page 25redskins picked to beat bears a Page 26strawberry paying dividends a Page 29twins lose pair in tuneup miss. St. Football player Dies a Page 30 Starkville miss. A Mississippi state nos guard Rodney Stowers died thursday while hospitalized with a broken leg he received in last saturday s loss to Florida. Quot Rodney passed away this morning at 7 . Due to pulmonary Haemorrhage and inability to oxygenate his blood a said or. Rusty Linton a Mississippi stale team physician. Linton in a statement released by the University said Stowers had suffered a fracture of his right Tibia in the 29-7 loss saturday in Orlando. Fla. After the game Linton had been admitted to the Golden Triangle regional medical Center for surgery. Stowers began showing signs of the rare complication known As fat embolism syndrome prior to surgery and treatment began to stabilize his fractured leg and provide a aggressive pulmonary support a the physician said. Joe Dier Msue a sports information director said the 20-year-old Junior had been admitted to the Hospital in Columbus so doctors could place a pin in the leg to Speed Healing. A memorial service will be held fur Stowers on Campus saturday at 2 p a services and burial Are sunday in his Hometown of Forest miss