European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 15, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday september 15, 1994 v. Sports the stars and stripes Page 33 waste emotion on leaders it s sad to see what major league baseball has done to itself. We re talking serious and lasting damage. All those years of world series games ending past Midnight Hurt major league baseball because a generation of children missed moments that make up the mythic memory of the game. A the bitterness of contract negotiations Hurt baseball because the men who made the game great the players and Only the players were portrayed by their Bosses not a uniquely talented athletes to be honoured with respect Butas greedy spoiled brats who Drew a Lucky number in the Gene Pool. The suggestion of no world series was proof cer Tain that baseball s leaders Don t care about the game s traditions history and emotional connection to the men women and children who for a Hundred years and More have embraced base Ball with a passion so profound As to be instinctive. Why then should we care about baseball s Lead ers Why waste a moment s emotion on men who would Call off a season and Call off the world series these Are men doing what Hitler could t do. Baseball s poor poor poor owners would kill a world series. Sadly major league baseball has gone too far this time.  .-.". A now it has made enemies of friends and while players helped create this los summer of baseball the owners deserve the far greater blame v. Owners Dilly dallied for 18 months before propos Dave Kindred commentary ing a contract they knew the players would refuse a salary Cap Deal. And they made the proposal in mid season to put the most pressure on the players. The players either had to take the new Deal in hurry or go on strike in a hurry. The players Only leverage before the owners could declare an impasse and impose the Deal unilaterally was to strike during the season and put the owners $140 million postseason television payoff at risk. So the strike effectively was precipitated by the owners at the time of their Choice. The players wanted a More lenient free Agency yes. But that was t a strike Issue the players were willing to negotiate even willing to end salary arbitration Long the piece of contract machinery most hated by the owners who by the Way originally wanted it ,. A ". Rather than begin a sensible negotiation that showed respect for players As Well As the game and their customers owners chose to make a hard stand for a salary Cap. They chose to make this stand saying they could not do business without knowing what their costs would be. Therefore they said they needed the Assurance of a salary Cap to keep costs at an identifiable level. At such talk economists laughed. Had t these baseball folks Ever heard of a budget a Bud get is established to control costs whether established by billionaires or High school sophomores Sav ing up for a new baseball Glove. Hey owners. Set a budget. Don t exceed it. This Ain t rocket science. But the owners said they could t do that because big Market teams had More Money than Small  the Little Guys claimed they could t com Pete with the big Guys. As ludicrous As that statement is Small Market teams have won As Many championships As the big Guys it is made even More Ludi Crous by the Extension of the illogic in the owners salary Cap proposal. That proposal would Force some Small Market teams to raise their payrolls to meet the minimum payroll promised to the players Union. And a reve nue sharing plan tied to the salary Cap would cover no More than 50 percent of the new salary amounts. Ludicrous. And we Haven t gotten to the most Ludi Crous part yet that s the owners plan promising players a 50-50 split of baseball s Revenue. The first question has to be who s going to decide what the 100 percent of Revenue is the answer the owners. Which leads to another question if an employee has t trusted his business owner for 125 years which is baseball a history would that employee today Trust the owner to give an honest accounting of Revenue or would the employee think the owner in tended to hide Revenue As he always had and that the employee s 50 percent would be say 25 percent instead. -. V a the new York times recently reported More than one example of owners cooking the books. One will suffice Here. It s from Atlanta. Teams televising games on superstition Cable net works pay 25 percent of the Cable Money into a Pool to be divvied up with teams not on superstitions. The Atlanta braves the Ted Turner Cable team kicked in $15 no Ilion a year ago. That suggests a Cable Deal Worth $60 million. But Turner s to com Pany paid Turner s baseball team $10million. That Means Turner hid $50 million of baseball Rev Enue. He can say the team brought in $100 million instead of $150 million so Only a fool would accept a salary Cap based on a 50-50 split of Revenue. And today s players Are not Money fools. The sporting not Aba recommends offence changes september 19-23,1994 army european / . Forces Europe Chicago a the Aba s com petition committee tuesday recommended shortening the 3-Ppint shot by making the line a uniform 22 feet from the Basket a move to increase scoring and ease congestion in the Lane. The line is currently 22 feet in the Cor ners and extends to 23 feet 9 inches atthe top of the key. By shortening the Dis Tance Rod Thorn the Aba s vice presi Dent of operations said teams will be forced to play More defense on the out Side. It is significant when you move the 3 Point line even though it is Only a foot and nine inches Thorn said after a four hour meeting i think we will have a Little More of sense and/4 Little less congestion on the court. Iolj Iii be somewhat easier for play ers to move. Therefore we project we will have a Little More offence. The 3-Point line will be More inviting and you will have to guard people out  Thorn said the vote to shorten the line was not quite unanimous. But he said there were few dissenters. I think their Basic premise was that we be had the line for a Long time and it has served us Well. Maybe it s a Little too easy from 22 feet Thorn said. I think pc Koa pcs Ping to have to have people who can shoe. Our shooting percentages have been going Down and with this Shorter line you Are going to see More taken and More made Thorn  International basketball you Nave to Lui urd the line and it can Lessen the con  in the  the 3-Point shot was adopted in the a for the 1979-80 season. The committee comprised of a representative from each of the 27 teams also recommended that a shooter fouled on a 3-Point shot be awarded three free throws instead of two. Those Rule changes must be approved by a two thirds vote of the Aba s Board of governors at a meeting next month and Thorn said he expected them to pass. Other recommended Rule changes in clude changing the Clear path foul rules to include Contact in the backcourt so a player who is breaking up court can the grabbed requiring that the second or More of Back to Back timeouts where the Ball has not yet been inbound cd be limited to no More than 45 seconds ejecting any player who commits two unnecessary Contact fouls during one game. A recommendation to enlarge or change the shape of the foul Lane was tabled so it could be studied More thoroughly said Thorn. The league also will implement several measures to address fighting and physical play including a one game suspension and maximum $20,000 Fine for any player who leaves the Bench during an altercation. These measures which do not require approval of the Board of governors will be effective with preseason play this sea son. Technical foul Fine amounts will be in creased to $500. The current Fine is $100 for the first in a game and $150 for the second. There will be stricter enforcement of technical fouls for taunting and other be Havior that could Lead to fighting hand checking will be prohibited from the end line in the backcourt to the opposite foul line and illegal screens will he called More closely. Championships entry fees $25 if preregistered by september 12 $30 if not preregistered Register by 8-11 . On september 19 at the Heidelberg Golf club Field limit first 120 paid entries Green fees non members of the Heidelberg Golf club Are required to pay Green fees to the club. E-5 and above including All civilians $10 per Day e-4 and below $7.50 per Day mail to 26th ask is recreation Piv unit 29237 . 09102 or 26th ask is recreation div. Patton Kaseane Geb 110kirchheimer Werg 4 ,69124 Heidelberg name address " Tel h. W. Please Naik the division you will be participating in o men s open All Agos o men s seniors 40 years or older. O women s open All Ages for More information Call Steve Moore at Dan 370-6422/8141 or civilian 06221-57-8422/8141