The Michigan Daily - Thursday, March 2, 2002 - 9A
Owners surpised
NEW YORK (AP) - Baseball's chief operating "We were ve
officer said he was surprised yesterday that the play- tion," said DuPh
ers' union interpreted the commissioner's no-lockout "While touri
pledge as a possible prelude to a change in work rules repeatedly caut
after the World Series. and expect the v
"Our pledge to protect the integrity of the season Now the pla
was designed to allay the concerns of our fans and the not fear a work
players," Bob DuPuy said. Fehr was in
The pledge he referred to was made Tuesday by reached for c
Bud Selig, who said owners wouldn't lock out players Bouris said.
during the regular season or the postseason, and Pledging not
wouldn't attempt to impose new work rules through and the postse
the World Series. players have sig
Union head Donald Fehr immediately reacted to The sides ha
Selig's statement, interpreting it as a threat to either Nov. 7, and ne
change work rules or lock out players right after the unproductive so
World Series. Because the
In 1994, the union expected a change in work rules season strike i
and struck on Aug. 12, wiping out the World Series for ball's ninth wor
the first time since 1904. The walkout lasted 232 days. Selig claims
by MLBPA's reaction
ry surprised by Mr. Fehr's hostile reac-
uy, who is Selig's longtime lawyer.
ing the spring training camps, (Fehr)
ioned the players to save their money
worst in the form of a work stoppage.
yers, media and fans know they need
stoppage initiated by the clubs."
Kansas City, Mo., and couldn't be
comment, union spokesman Greg
to lock out players during the season
ason means little to the union since
ned their 2002 contracts.
ve been without a labor contract since
egotiations for a new deal have been
far.
union fears work-rule changes, a late-
s possible this year. It would be base-
k stoppage since 1972.
owners had a $232 million operating
loss last year and that teams need vast economic
change.
The union is skeptical of the claims of losses and
doesn't agree with Selig's claim that the sport must
end the disparity in revenue among the teams.
"The union's claim that our pledge rings hollow is
totally without merit," DuPuy said. "Economic action
by the clubs during the course of the 2002 season
would generate considerable financial benefits to the
clubs.
"But, we have declined that option because we do
care about our fans, our players, and the integrity of
the game."
'M' bASEBALL AND
SOFThALL WERE
CANCELLED YEST~ERDAY
AP PH(
On Tuesday, baseball commissioner Bud Selig promised that the owners wouldn't
lock out the players - until after the World Series in October.
Harwell to
advertise
for grocery
franchise
TROY (AP) - Detroit Tigers play-
by-play man Ernie Harwell is making
his debut in a different kind of broad-
cast as the baseball season begins.
Harwell, who is retiring from work
in the broadcast booth after this sea-
son, will be featured in a series of 10
new radio spots for the Kroger Co. of
Michigan.
The ads will be launched in con-
junction with the Tigers' home open-
er April 5 against Cleveland at 2:00
p.m.
The 84-year-old Hall of Fame
broadcaster announced last month
that this year, his 55th in the booth
and 42nd with the Tigers, will be his
final season.
The 30-second spots promote the
brand new "Great Meals at Kroger"
campaign.
"We're excited and proud to work
with Ernie, especially during his
final year with the Tigers," Kroger
Co. of Michigan President Jon Flora
said in a statement.
Cincinnati-based Kroger Co. is the
nation's largest retail grocery chain.
r
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x
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44
40
b
b
Work. Leisure.
Work.L .
Leisure.
Work. Why have
Leisure. not both?
Detroit Pistons' Corliss Williamson,
center, and Indiana Pacers' Jermaine
O'Neal (7) exchange words on Tuesday
night after Williams pegged O'Neal in the
head with the ball, following a flagrant
foul. Detroit won the game 96-77.
O'Neal
suspended
two games
by NBA
NEW YORK (AP) - Jermaine
O'Neal of the Indiana Pacers was sus-
pended for two games without pay yes-
terday and fined $10,000 by the NBA
for throwing punches, and three team-
mates received automatic one-game
bans for leaving the bench in a game
against Detroit.
O'Neal was ejected with 1:16
remaining in an 89-84 loss to the
Pistons on Tuesday night after a hard
foul on a driving Corliss Williamson,
who then slammed the ball off
O'Neal's back.
The two started jawing at each other
before O'Neal threw an elbow as
Williamson backed away
Williamson was not suspended, but
the league fined him $5,000 for throw-
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