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.