Page 12 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, June 21, 1985
CHICAGO DROPS NINTH STRAIGHT
Grand slam boosts Mets
NEW YORK (UPI) - George innings. THE BACK-TO-BACK homers were
Foster hit his 12th career grand slam New York scored five unearned the Mets' first of the season, giving
and Sid Fernandez struck out a runs in the third. With two out, Kelvin New York its biggest inning of the
career-high 10 yesterday to lead the Chapman singled, Ray Knight year.
New York Mets to a 5-3 victory over reached first on shortstop Chris
the Chicago Cubs, who lost their ninth Speier's error and Gary Carter The Cubs took a 1-0 lead in the third
straight game. walked to load the bases. when Davey Lopes drew a one-out
All of the Mets runs were unearned. On an 0-1 pitch, Foster drove the walk, stole second and scored on
New York has won four straight. ball over the right centerfield fence Keith Moreland's two-out single.
FERNANDEZ, 2-4, pitched the first for his ninth home run of the year and Speier's sacrifice fly in the fourth
six innings, allowing five hits and two his sixth game-winning RBI. Jack pulled the Cubs to 5-2. Consecutive
walks. Roger McDowell pitched the Christensen followed with his third singles by Ron Cey and Leon Durham
last three innings for his fourth save. home run of the year, a shot over the put runners on the corners and
Loser Ray Fontenot, 1-3, lasted four left field bleachers, for a 5-1 lead. Speier's fly scored Cey.
On Sunday
The Best Value in Town is the
Deluxe Breakfast Buffet
& Fresh Fruit Bar
featuring
I
M~artin (.rUwnides
By Adam Martin
A dangerous future . .
...,for America's pastime
M ajor League Baseball stands to lose much of its integrity if the
players walk off the field come July.
Baseball's integrity and respect are derived from its fans who expect
and anticipate a consistent seven-month, challenging pennant race in
their respective divisions.
A strike this year - the second strike in five seasons - would
dangerously detract from fan support because it would destroy the race
for the pennant.
Add the negative press baseball will receive (and has received) during
the strike period, and the 26 major leagues clubs that rely on fans to pay
inflated salaries could suffer by the time owners and players come to .
terms.
But let's talk quality. As of yesterday, 65 percent of big league ballclubs
have a serious shot at winning a pennant, and those teams are evenly
spread throughout the four divisions of the American and National
Leagues. Another four clubs will maintain a slim shot at success if they
remain under 10 games out of first place by the All-Star break. That
leaves five of 26 franchises which can be considered relative deadbeats in
mid-June.
So less than 20 percent of Major League Baseball is nothing more than
teams to pad the "W" column in the sportspage. The rest figure to make a
run, although some of those runs' pace and intensity will be questionable.
A seven-month pennant race has quality. Teams live and die through
summer's dogdays and autumn's intra-divisional death battles. It's tough
to forget the 14-game lead enjoyed by the Boston Red Sox over the New
York Yankees in 1978. The Bronx Bombers won the pennant in a one-
game playoff at Fenway Park after dissolving their deficit during a few
chilly weeks in September.
In 1982, Milwaukee and Baltimore battled until the last Saturday of the
season before Robin Yount shot down Jim Palmer and the Birds in
Memorial Stadium.
In the same year, the Dodgers tore apart the Braves in August only to
see Atlanta retake first place and win the NI. West in late September.
Atlanta (Ted Turner's pseudo-patriotic protege) looked unstoppable in
April, dropped to its deathbed in August and eventually refound its
health.
The evidence is clear. Baseball teams needat least 150 games to prove
their worth. A playoff after two half seasons to determinie division win-
ners destroys the worrying, laboring and excitement of a full season.
Even worse, a strike in 1985 could last through October which would nullify
the season.
"The likelihood of a confrontation, whether a strike or not, is quite
high," Dan Fehr, acting director of the players association, said last
week after a nonproductive session with the owners. That confrontation
can only end in a walkout if the two sides cannot agree on the outstanding
issues - free agency, salaries, salary caps and arbitration.
The players argue that owners are being unfairly economical: George
Steinbrenner and Co. are cutting while wearing blinders. The owners say
players must look beyond their own paychecks, to the "health and
viability of the game," according to Lee McPhail, the owners chief
negotiator.
It's easy to say the two sides must compromise and cooperate to solve
their problems, but finding a solution isn't that simple.
If the two sides consider the damage they'll inflict on the game - which
could be irreparable - they may just cooperate enough to prevent a
strike. Baseball of course will outlast cranky owners and selfish
ballplayers, but the integrity of the game may not.
Amrerica's pastime may just pass its time.
I4
4
4
4
4
4
All You Care To Eat Of:
Scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, home fries, just-baked biscuits and muffins, fritters,
fresh fruit in season and much more.
FOR ONLY
Every Sunday, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at RE AURANIT
1235 S. University
at S. Forest
in the University Towers Apartment Building
i
4
Isiah discounts drug.
testing for athletes
CHAMPAIGN, Ill (UPI) - Detroit said, suggesting that if athletes are
Pistons guard Isiah Thomas said tested for drugs reporters should be
yesterday he doesn't "care one way or tested also,
the other" about professional athletes My you guys should be checked
being required to be tested for drug before you go into work. People look
use.
Thomas, who led Indiana Univer- up to people in the media as much as
sity to the 1981 NCAA championship to athletes," he said.
before turning pro, spoke to reporters Thomas, who has been selected to
before making an appearance at a the All-Star team each of his four
basketball camp sponsored by Illinois professional seasons, told the would-
coach Lou Henson. be basketball stars that they must en-
ATHLETES ARIE often singled out joy playing the game ifthey expect to
for drug testing proposals. Thomas do well.