European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 18, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Or Page 34 the stars and stripes sports thursday August 18,1994 baseball needs real commissioner by David William Memphis commercial Appeal we have heard from the players. We have heard from the owners. We have heard from the president of the United states and the vice president too. We have hear from fans with stalks of vegetables on their Heads to raise consciousness about this  Cap  have heard from Small children Beer vendors and an economist named Henry Aaron to he and no relation. We have heard from minor league operators who say the major league strike is not Good for  this they say with straight faces which is about As silly As you can look these Days Short of wearing a celery stalk on your head. But we Haven t heard from the baseball commissioner. That s because there in t one. Details details. There is no commissioner because the owners Don t want one particularly not at a time when Oneis really needed. What could a commissioner do now except step into the fractious fraternity of ownership and perhaps bring them together when the owners get around to choosing a com missioner after the strike ends they will move slowly and carefully. They will choose someone who won t let Power go to his head someone with no ego no Backbone someone in Short who can be easily con Rohed. Commentary experience will be neither necessary nor preferred though applicants who already have worked in the ventriloquism Field would seem to have the Edge. Eventually the Job vacant since Fay Vincent was run off nearly two years ago will be filled. The critics will be silenced somewhat., and the fraternity of owners will remain fractious but free at least from a meddling overseer. The owners logic is simple. Why should we hire a commissioner who will Tell us anything but what we want to hear Why should we give him authority he might later use against us so it will be and so will the player and owner wars continue. This strike is the eighth work Stop Page since 1972. When peace is negotiated it will last Only As Long As the new contract does. Then we will have another strike or a lockout and the com missioner if there is one will be helpless to Stop it. But what if. What if he commissioner of baseball were really that commissioner of All of baseball chosen by players As Well As owners. Representing both sides and the game s Best interests if the owners want a partnership with the players Why not offer the players something substantial in re turn Why not make it a real partnership give the commissioner Broad enough Power to represent Bot sides to bring them together when they fall apart. As it is the players can t get along with the owners and the owners can t even get along with each other. Such a commissioner would t have unchecked Power but consider what he might accomplish with these current labor problems. The owners say a salary Cap is necessary that Small Market teams can t afford to play the game under today s financial rules. But the owners have done a remarkably poor Job of making their Case to the players. The labor agreement expired last december and they did t present their salary Cap proposal until june. They have Hurt their credibility further by overstating financial problems at one Point claiming the los Angeles dodgers of All teams would lose Money this season. A Strong commissioner could prod the owners toward higher ethical ground where their concerns if legitimate could be taken seriously. A Strong com missioner could Appeal to the players obligation to the game and also to their interest in seeing the owners remain financially viable so salaries could re main High. That s not to say that such a commissioner would have prevented this strike. But such a voice reasonable sane balanced would sound like music tour ringing ears. Scrippa Howard Nawa Sar Voca Board Man wins Pursuit Crown by Piero Valsecchi Palermo Sicily a Britain s Chris Boardman beat Francis Moreau of France by a wide margin about 12 seconds to capture the men s Pursuit title in the world track cycling championships on tuesday night. The British cyclist added a world title to the olympic Gold he won in Barcelona two years ago by completing the 2.48-mile distance at Palermo Velo drome in 4 minutes 27.742 seconds at an average Speed of 33.399 Mph. Moreau finished in 4 39.301 to win Silver and Germany s Jens Lehmann took third place. He was definitely stronger. I could not do any better Moreau said. Boardman a former world 1-hour re Cord Holder got off to a slow Start and trailed the Frenchman by 1.3 seconds after one minute of racing. He picked up the Pace Over the next three minutes and Moreau quickly fell behind and surrendered. Boardman s Victory was widely expected following the disqualification of his toughest rival Graeme Obree. The scotsman who won the world Pursuit title at Hamar Norway last year was punished by the jury for using an irregular racing position during monday s qualifying. Boardman 26, who turned pro Only last year dominated the final after clocking the fastest times in the quarterfinals and semifinals. Boardman who made some Success Ful appearances in Road races earlier this year winning stages in the tour of France and in the Spanish Vuelta eliminated Lehmann in the semifinals. That race was a replay of their Duel in the 1992 olympic final at Barcelona. The British cyclist Only third at Hamar last year beat Lehmann by world track cycling nearly 2 seconds while Moreau a sur prise finalist Defeated a second Ger Man Guido Fulst in the other semifinal. The second Day of track races in pal Ermo also featured the men s and women s sprints and the women s Pursuit quarterfinals. Two time world Champion Michael Hubner qualified for the sprint semifinals along with fellow German Jens Fiedler american Marty Nothstein and australian Darryn Hill. Hubner Defeated Hometown favorite Federico Paris in the Best of three quarterfinal round to earn a semifinal berth against Nothstein who turned Back italian Roberto Chiappa in straight runs. Hubner looks like the Man to beat with the absence of defending Champi on Gary Keiwand of Australia who is out with a knee injury. France s Marion Clignett clocked the fastest time in the women s Pursuit .3 47.18,1, in dominating italian under dog Gabriella Pregnolato in their quarterfinal heat. Janie Eickhoff of the United states a Bronze medallist at Hamar last year also qualified for the semifinals. Eickhoff Defeated Maria Jongeling of the Netherlands in 3 49.539, the third fastest time of the quarters. Defending world Champion Tanya Dubnikoff of Canada reached the sprint quarterfinals with ease following the default of her French opponent Natha lie even. Her toughest rival Ingrid Haringa of the Netherlands also advanced. Other Quarter finalists Are Lucy Tyler. Of Australia and olympic Champion Erika Valumae of Estonia. Britain s Chris Boardman adds world title to the olympic Gold he won in Barcelona