European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 27, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                9g 32 the stars and stripes a sports saturday. February 27,1993 former Backstop Murphy hoping to catch on again commentary by Dave Kindred the sporting news did you know Dale Murphy began his professional baseball career As a Catcher he must be the Only Catcher to become a Gold Glove Center fielder. The transformation began when Mur Phy looked through the mask of Igno Rance and saw a Phil Nickroo Knuck Leball butter flying his Way. The thing sailed outside and Murphy lunged for it. His left knee did t like the work and went pop. Fifteen years later Murphy s time As a Catcher is forgotten except when the knee decides to remind the great Man of his misspent youth. Such As last summer when doctors took up residence at the knee. They repaired cleaned rinsed excavated and allowed Murphy to play Only 18 games for the Philadelphia Phillies. So today Dale Murphy is in the inevitable and uncomfortable spot reserved for 37-year-old outfielders with bad Knees coming off nothing seasons. Although his career work makes him Hall of Fame material baseball asks its hard question what can you do today Murphy reported to Camp a week Early. The knee really feels Good he said adding words baseball lovers like today each Spring i m ready to Start play ing some baseball.". Anytime i write about Dale Murphy i remember a question posed by the late great sportswriter Dick Young. He wrote of baseball fans the resiliency of you the fan amazes me. The owner drops you moving what you thought was your team and you Bounce Back. The players drop you jumping sometimes in the Middle of a cheer but you always Bounce Back. The owners Don t give a Damn. The players Don t give a Damn. Only you give a Damn. You continue to Root for a City s name on a shirt. Did you Ever Stop to wonder Why baseball fans care because it does t matter what fools the owners and players Are. The game s the thing and it s there no matter what. The game Speaks to us in the language of our childhood a Lan Guage of Sweet memories of sounds and smells and feels. Baseball fans care be cause the game is played according to rules of fairness and Merit. Those rules remind us that Between the White lines there is Harmony and order. We Only wish we could find such perfection another places. Baseball fans care too because they believe in heroes. And they believe base Bull a piece of perfection in an imperfect world can give them heroes. They even believe it is possible for the faultless game to give them a faultless hero if Only one in a lifetime. Such a hero would do milk commercials and win the most valuable player award. He would hit 398 Home runs in 14 seasons and say gosh about 398 times a Day. He would be a Man headed for Cooperstown who believes it s More important to be a Good daddy to his seven sons. He would be a Man quoted by say ing god in t really interested in our batting averages As he Racks up consecutive Home run seasons of 36, 36, 37, 29 and 44. He would be a player who thanks the fans for caring even As he gives them every reason to care. There is such a Man and his name is Dale Murphy and we be been Lucky to be around in his time. But even heroes have at 37, Dale Murphy is taking another crack at making the Phillies starting lineup. To answer the hard questions of reality. As Murphy tries to persuade the Phillies he can play the game those questions Are is 1993 a comeback year for Mur Phy or is it the end of an extraordinary career he twice was the National league s map and five times a Gold Glove Center fielder. From 1982 to 87 he hit .288 with an average of 36 Home runs and 105 runs batted in. The next four seasons playing Hurt on terrible teams Murphy averaged .237, 22 Home runs and 81 rib. Then came last year s 18-game season. Now the millionaire hero is in Spring training on a minor league contract being paid a few Bucks to show up and try to make the team. The last time Mur Phy went to Spring training with some thing to prove was 1978. So this is a different feeling he said. But it s exciting. I m looking Forward to the Challenge. After last year so frustrating All the time i appreciate the Chance to play this game. Gosh 1 really could t be More  the Only darkness in Atlanta s wonder Ful Story the last two seasons was Mur Phy s absence. He helped make Atlanta Good in the Early 1980s, and he Perse Vered heroically As fool owner Ted turn or let the team crumble. Then alas Mur Phy s Trade in 1990 became a Symbol of Atlanta s determination to succeed. Now Atlanta shimmers in glory and Murphy is lost in the shadows. The knee his advancing age and the declining numbers conspired against him when he became a free agent last Winter. No one called. Only the Phillies invited him to Camp his Spring. Murphy is undaunted. I know there la come a Day when it s time to go he said. But right now i feel like i should be playing especially after Spring training last year. I Felt Goodenough to get Back to 100 Bis. The Phillies have been very patient with me. And i m really excited about this season. Gosh it s been a Long time since i went a summer playing just 18 games. So i m excited about getting Back and i m excited about playing for a Tea that can  Murphy says the Phillies want Young Ster Wes Chamberlain in right Field and ,.l?1.d he m they d be him to win the Lett yield Job. Anyone who cares about baseball will be rooting for Murphy. He Isth game at its sweetheart Best. My idea of an excellent 1993 season would be one in which Dale Murphy has a hitting Streak that begins in april an ends in october. Atlanta stadium gets nod Atlanta a agreements needed to build and operate the proposed olympic stadium in Atlanta Are headed for the City Council after finally being approved by the Atlanta Fulton county recreation authority. The Compromise agreements would make the stadium the Home of the Atlanta braves Well into the 21st Century. Approval wednesday night Fol Lowed heated discussion by Community activists and members of the au4hpriry. All three members of the City Council on the recreation authority were part of the 6-3 majority which approved the Deal. After the City vote the package goes to the Fulton county com Mission. The braves have pushed this town to the limit authority Mem Ber and commissioner Tom Lowe said. You be been sold a Bill  commission chairman Michael Lomax who urged approval of the agreements said i think this was the toughest hurdle. I think the de Bates at the two Public bodies willbe less  last week the authority demanded the braves pay More rent. The Compromise with Only slight adjustments is not a Good Deal at Lanta mayor Maynard Jackson said in urging its adoption but it is bet Ter than most Between cities and major league baseball teams. We stand to get a stadium and the Cost to the taxpayers to build it is not one dime Jackson said. The stadium As planned would be built across the Street from at Lanta Fulton county stadium the braves current Ballpark. It would seat 85,000 people and would be used for track and Field Competition and the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1996 olympics. Then it would be converted to a 45,000-seat baseball facility an turned Over to the City. Red sox Cut Clark fort Myers Fla. A Jack Park a 17-year Veteran who hit just .210 in an injury plagued 1992 season was placed on unconditional release waivers Friday by the Boston red sox. I think it was probably inevitable. Tver Day i figured that whenever the phone rang i was either traded or i was released said Clark who was signed byT.red sox As a free agent prior to the1991 season. General manager Lou Gorman said to Day s move was made to give Clark a Chance to catch on with another team Early in Spring training. After the waiver period expires wednesday a team could sign him for he minimum salary of $109,000. The ked sox would be responsible for the rest of his $2.4 million guaranteed salary for 1993. Hell get a Job pretty quickly Gor Man said. He was very Happy about