European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 11, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A sorry strike of presidential proportions Michael Eddleman i saw an amazing thing on television this summer. President Clinton was naming his new special counsel to replace Lloyd Cutler and can covered it live. Then came a question from the press that rang out like a plea of last minute desperation. A emr. President is there anything you can do to Avert the baseball strike a the presidents answer lasted two minutes. He basically said he could do nothing but he hoped like everyone else that the problems could be straight a cd out. It is funny because if Clinton could be kept the strike from happening it would be been his greatest accomplishment and his Best shot at re election. But like everyone else he Felt helpless against the big machine we Call the american pastime. I thought about it awhile and was amazed that the baseball strike took precedence Over a looming invasion of Haiti dying refugees in Rwanda ethnic cleansing in Bosnia an unstable North Korea and his Domestic baby health care. Is this the definition of America is this strike the event that brings us Down after All these years of course not but it has been pretty close to being a National crisis on the level of the Gas shortages of the �?T70s. Keeping in mind that players delivered a a a taxation plan to owners this past week with Hopes it would be accepted in place of a salary Cap Here Are a few Points during a strike that has lasted More than a month 1 a professional basketball and football have salary Caps and they Are still in business. With a Cap teams cannot afford to pay two or three players $4 million a year but in a not too sympathetic with that scenario anyway. Maybe players will just have to play better in the future and distinguish themselves More to jus opening laugh ip0 skua Steiner Usa Bond Northants England baseball on a Rainy Day tiny a salary that consumes 10 percent of the teams allotted salary. 2. Notice i refer to them As players. That is what they Are players. These grown men Are playing a game for a living that most of them fantasized about As children. They do some amazing things on the Field and i wont argue that they deserve Good salaries but where is the limit they want to raise the minimum salary to Over $200,000 a year which is nearly what the president makes. They May be More fun to watch but they done to deserve More Money than the big cheese. 3. Here Are some major league salary facts As of opening Day 1993 for you to Chew on 262 of 765 players in the league made Over $1 million. Thirty five players made Over $4 million with eight of those making More than $5 million and two making in excess of $6 million. Ryne Sandberg claimed the High Dollar salary Jit $6,475,000 per season. At the beginning of the season he Wasny to even in the starting lineup because of injuries. That salary comes out to $39,969 a game and $4,441 an inning.4. A player becoming a free agent after having a Good year can write his own ticket. Players that bios som overnight such As Frank Thomas Paul of Neill Jeff Bagwell and Randy Johnson can go from making around $200,000 one season to $3 million the next through salary arbitration. That is quite a raise for having one Good year. 5. In most jobs the Talent does not make the most Money. Management makes the Money and gives raises based on Job performance. They own the establishment be it baseball or an Auto Plant and they dictate policy. The United Auto workers strike on a fairly regular basis their demands Are High though reasonable. In a sure Lee Iacocca cannot Tell you How to attach the rear Quarter panel to a Chrysler Lebaron but ill guarantee you he makes More Money than the person who can. I love baseball. In a a Yankee fan and i watched them dominate the most competitive division before the strike. Paul of Neill was leading the american league in batting with Wade Boggs not far behind. Jimmy key was on his Way to 20 wins and i could see the team on its Way to a record 34th world series appearance and possible its 23rd win. The Central division in the american league was providing a three Way race hosted by none other than the indians. Who would have thought that after 40 years the Western divisions of both leagues were the Only ones needing need of a play stoppage. In the National league East the expos were running away from the braves and in the Central the astros were giving the reds a run for their Money. We saw the rebirth of Darryl Strawberry and the resurgence of the giants to make a race out of the feeble National league West. This was our first Chance to see a new playoff system giving More life to the race for second place in All divisions. We May not get that until next year. What about All of the individual accomplishments of this year this season was a Home run Derby with Jeff Bagwell Ken Griffey or. And Frank Thomas All approaching 40 homers. Matt Williams with 42 dingers was within striking distance of Roger Marisa 33-year-old record of 61. The fans Are the real losers. We Are the ones most disturbed by the interruption of such a Good season. A i ask that the players and managers both keep one thing in mind. I joined the army to serve my country nearly four years ago and last year i made almost $18,000. To me that was Good Money for what i was doing and i appreciated it. There Are millions of americans in the same situation doing necessary jobs that done to pay the big salaries or provide the Glamour of major league baseball. They work take care of their families and live their lives and Many of them enjoy picking baseball teams to make themselves a part of. You have taken that away from them for the right to make More Money than they will Ever see. Sgt. Michael Edd Toman is stationed in Frankfurt Germany Send in your column plus photo of yourself to be our guest sunday Magazine the stars and stripes Apo a 09211 or Postrach 11 14 37, d-64278 Darmstadt Germany. If mailing disk save text in Asci and include printout. Columns Are edited for clarity and length. Contents from the cover. Heroism and death in Slovakia. A a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a sidelights Marla Maples on stage. Big stuff on the wonderbra. Clarence Page on the Gopas course. Odds amp ends Erma Bombeck tired of tvs Tum off. 4-5 6-7,9 10 in tune. 11 talk shows and reality. This weeks films .12-13 Quot military circuit listings. Chuck Vinch laughs with  television listings. 14-17 local Cable and satellite schedules. Home entertainment. 18 women a videos. Voices. 20-21 divorce ties. Linda Ellerbee turns 50. In military movie houses 22-23 Jim Carrey a Forrest Gump a a Ray Liotta. Words amp wit. 24 William Safire chatters and matters. A a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 25 More on Elvis. On Parade 27 Keanu Reeves steers Clear of action. Last laugh. Dave Barry fires away. 28 sunday is a weekly supplement of the stars and stripes editon Bucky Fox cover Story design Peter Jaeger production Bernard Jensen editorial assistance Louis d. Pierce Page 2 sunday september 11, 1994