European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 29, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 34 the stars and stripes sports thursday september 29,1994 baseball strike by Ronald Blum Washington apr lawmakers in both the House and Senate were expected to take up legislation on baseball a antitrust exemption wednesday As they attempt to push owners and players to end the strike. A a. Sen. Howard Metzenbaum said he will attempt to attach a repeal of the antitrust exemption concerning labor matters to an appropriations Bill for the District of Columbia which he said May come to the Senate floor later wednesday. A i think the american people want to see baseball played a Metzenbaum told the Senate wednesday. A i done to think we can have a world series anymore this year but i think there a a worry players wont go to Spring training a. Metzenbaum a Ohio at first was going to offer the amendment to the appropriations Bill for the labor and health departments. A a there a a lot of mane vering behind the scenes a said sen. Orrin Hatch a Utah. Sen. J. James Exon d-ncb., blocked a baseball antitrust Bill from coming the floor earlier this month. A i will do everything i can to oppose this a Exon said tuesday when Metzenbaum renewed his Effort. Earlier this year in the judiciary com Mittie Hatch voted against Metzen Baum Bill for a Complete repeal of the exemption. The latest Effort which Hatch supports would eliminate the exemption if owners unilaterally impose work rules such As a salary Cap. A fall the distinguished senator from Ohio and i Are trying to do is say to the owners of those teams you can unilaterally impose if you want to any unilateral conditions under the Law Blit if you do you lose the antitrust exemption until after the matter is resolved a Hatch said. A i do think it will end the strike. I do think it will push both sides  in the House the judiciary committees subcommittee on economic and commercial Law is scheduled to take up rep. Mike in Yard a Bill Metzenbaum said. The full House committee May vote on the Bill thursday Metzenbaum said but the legislation is unlikely to pass Congress before adjournment next month. Synar d-qkla., wants to allow the players Union to file an antitrust suit against owners if management unilaterally implements a salary Cap. His Bill also would Stop a salary Cap from taking effect until after All lawsuits Are decided. Union head Donald Fehr said the strike would end if the Bill in its current form became Law. However a congressional staff member and several baseball officials said tuesday the Bill a language May change to provisions less favourable to the Union. Eugene Orza the unions no. 2 official said the provision stopping a salary Cap until after lawsuits was necessary for the strike to Stop. Acting commissioner Bud Selig who testified before the subcommittee last week said tuesday by Telephone from Milwaukee that he was told the Bill May change. A i heard that was a possibility but in be heard no More a he said. A they done to know what the markup is  management negotiator Richard Ravitch said he was told the provisions that the Union said were vital would be removed. Cory Snyder right walks with Arm around dodger teammate Ramon Martinez following a major league players association meeting in los Angeles tuesday. Ravitch is scheduled to testify thursday before the subcommittee on labor management relations which is considering a Bill by rep. Pat Williams d-mont., that would impose binding arbitration if players and owners done to agree by feb. 1. The arbitrator much in the manner of a salary arbitrator would select the final offer of one Side. His decision would be issued by March 15. A my legislation gives owners and players ample time to bargain and reach a settlement on their own a Williams said. Among those also scheduled to testify thursday Are Orza los Angeles dodgers Pitcher Orel Hershiser new York Yankees outfielder Bernie Williams management lawyer Chuck of Connor economist Henry Aaron and Law professor Gary Roberts. The antitrust exemption created by a 1922 . Supreme court decision that said baseball was not interstate Commerce gives owners a Legal monopoly. The Union claims the exemption has contributed to the eight work stoppages in baseball since 1972. Selig meanwhile said he will soon appoint an operations committee that will decide How baseball owners proceed. The group will include Boston red sox chief executive officer John Harrington Montreal expos president Claude  Philadelphia Phillies executive vice president Dave Montgomery and at least one general manager and chief financial officer. Selig said the committee will Start operating this  Don t always make the Man commentary turned out in a White stretch Limo purple pinstripes and Gold rimmed sunglasses last week Lou Whitaker looked More like someone on his Way into the Academy awards than a striking ballplayer ducking into a Union meeting in Tampa Fla. Unfortunately the Getup did no to just make headlines on a slow news Day. It also made the tigers second baseman look like something he most definitely is not another greedy Soldier in the War of attrition that has replaced baseball. A a it a the Way the thing got blown out of proportion that i took exception to a Whitaker a wife. Crystal called to complain the other Day. A until the pictures came out and the stories portrayed him that Way  you Ever heard Baa or negative about Lou Whitaker nothing. A a Here a a Man who worked hard year after year for 18 years to earn everything he has. And after All that to be remembered for something As insignificant As How he arrived or what he wore a she paused a it just Isnit fair a she is right of course. It Wasny to just the car or the clothes that made her husband such a convenient target or even what he said when asked How his admittedly grand Entrance would go Over with the fans a i make Money a Lou said. A i got a Rolls Royce Limo big House. What a going to make me look bad a More than anything what made Whitaker look bad was our Short memories. Soured by a strike that pits uncaring billionaires against mostly uncaring millionaires we Are Only too willing to believe the worst about the whole lot of them. But in failing to make distinctions or at least not caring whether distinction Are Worth making we have done him a great disservice. Whitaker is one of the Good Guys and always has been. When he broke into the majors in 1977, the minimum salary was $19,000. Starting the next season and for every season after that excluding the strike shortened 1981 season he never played less than 127 games. Over that Span he made a couple of All Star teams won a few Gold gloves averaged .275, 13 Home runs and 58 Bis. He also became a As he pointed out a very very Rich. More to the Point however Whitaker did All those things As self effacing by As a ballplayer can. He never called attention to himself with his Mouth and never a Ever a moaned about How much he was making. A i done to remember who said Crystal said at one Point a but the Best description i Ever heard about Louis was the Guy who called him a Tumbleweed. You know he Rolls into work does his Job and Rolls out so quietly nobody  this is not to say her husband is not a proud Man Whitaker Felt so betrayed by last weeks stories that rather than defend himself he simply claimed up. But a Story told by an old Friend Sheds Light on just How deeply he was stung. When the tigers organization tried to sign him in 1974, scout Bill Lajoie made several trips to Whitaker a Jim Luke Martinsville va., Home but came away empty handed each time. Sitting on the family a front porch one Day Louis Mother finally took pity on Lajoie and explained her son s hesitation. It seems Lou did no to have a decent suit of clothes to Wear and was too embarrassed to travel anywhere without one. Lajoie took care of the matter that same Day and the rest As they say is history. Or at least was a until the events of last week. A a a Uve me a Crystal said a if i Felt this was just a Little Blip on the screen i would have let the whole thing pass. But we be heard from friends All Over the country. A and the worst treatment he got was in Detroit which i know is a Union town. But its also the place where Lou played his heart out All those  in a one woman crusade Crystal started making Calls and wrote an editorial for the newspaper in Lakeland Fla., where the couple and their four daughters live during the off season. She pointed out that if any owner arrived the Way Lou had no one would have noticed. She also noted that the family owned Limo which might look out of place at Union meetings or the drive through at Mcdonald a is very useful in. Her line of work which is running a record company. But i guess looking Back if we had any intuition what kind of headache it would cause Lou would have worn the cutoffs and Raggedy to shirt he gardens in. And she said a the would driven up in something like a hot dog  the associated press