MLB owners, "bowing to pressure" from mediator William
Usery, agreed to cancel a Monday meeting in Chicago in which they
were expected to declare an impasse in labor negotiations and
unilaterally implement their salary cap proposal.  The decision
by the owners "did not herald a breakthrough, but it frees the
union from the threat of implementation while it conducts a 3-day
executive board meeting in Atlanta starting Monday and formulates
a counterproposal" (Ross Newhan, L.A. TIMES, 12/1).  CNN's Mark
Morgan called it "a surprising turn of events because with no
counter-proposal forthcoming from the union, the owners were all
set to unilaterally implenment their salary cap proposal next
week in Chicago" (CNN, 11/30).  Braves President Stan Kasten: "I
believe from everything that I have heard, that [the players] are
going to Atlanta with the purpose in mind of coming out of there
with something that does achieve a negotiated settlement."
ESPN's Bob Sirkin: "The owners have, at least for the time being,
put the ball back in the players hands" ("SportsCenter," 11/30).
     A SMALL OPENING:  MLBPA attorney Lauren Rich: "If there is a
window, both sides found a way to keep it open a few days more
and that's very important" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/1).  The players and
owners meet again in Rye, NY, on December 9.      A REASON TO
RELENT?  In New York, Joel Sherman reports that the
implementation of the salary cap "was expected to put the most
stress" on the owners unity.  Big market clubs such as the
Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, Blue Jays and Orioles were expected to
argue "behind closed doors against imposition of a salary cap"
(N.Y. POST, 12/1).
     THE PLAYERS' TASK:  Sources said that Usery "came down hard
on the union for failing to make" a counterproposal, but union
officials said they required more information on how the tax
works and wanted their constituency to approve any response in
Atlanta.  MLBPA Exec Dir Donald Fehr: "It's our intention to take
everything we've learned and hopefully produce the framework for
a settlement" (L.A. TIMES, 12/1).  It is expected that more than
100 additional players may show up in Atlanta at the 3-day
assemblage of the union's 32-man executive board.  "If a
majority, or near-majority, express desire for immediate
settlement, it could be a Merry Christmas for all" (Jerome
Holtzman, CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 12/1).
     NO DC HELP:  Incoming U.S. House Judiciary Chair Henry Hyde
(R-IL) said the government should not get involved in the
baseball negotiations (Mult., 12/1).
     ONTARIO LAWS:  Blue Jay officials have decided they will not
field replacement players to start the '95 season.  Blue Jay
President Paul Beeston: "The Blue Jays will not take part in
breaking or flouting any law in the province."  Lawyers
representing MLB owners have researched the issue and come to the
"conclusion that they would be unlikely to win a challenge" to
the Ontario law.  Beeston said the team would not challenge the
law, but could do so if MLB ordered the team to do so.  Beeston:
"We will make it clear that we're doing it at the behest of Major
League Baseball" (Tim Harper, TORONTO STAR, 12/1).  Despite a
similar Quebec law, the Expos "have received the green light to
use replacement players" (Mike Zeisberger, TORONTO SUN, 12/1).

     Fox Television President/CEO David Evans said the network
"is not the bad guy in the World Golf Tour's conflict with the
PGA Tour."  Evans: "It's easy to say Rupert Murdoch has thrown
his money around and he and Greg Norman have tried to take over
golf, but that's not the case."  Evans disputes PGA Tour
Commissioner Tim Finchem's claim that the World Tour is "not in
the best interests of golf."  Evans, who signed the contract for
Fox to own the TV rights to the World Tour, said he is not sure
how far the World Tour will go to stage its events in '95:  "I
don't know whether they will try to take on the PGA Tour in the
courts or whether that's a good idea.  But we at Fox are going to
wait and see.  That's all we can do.  We're not about to engage
in pro-active legal activities" (Thomas Bonk, L.A. TIMES, 12/1).
In USA TODAY, Steve Hershey argues in favor of a World Tour
concept (USA TODAY, 12/1).

     "Throughout the NHL labor dispute, you have repeatedly been
told the next meeting is pivotal to the process.  Well, this is
no false alarm," writes Bob McKenzie in this morning's TORONTO
STAR.  NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman,  NHLPA Exec Dir Bob
Goodenow and reps from both sides meet today in Chicago.  One NHL
Governor:  "If this set of meetings becomes derailed, we maybe
only have two or three days to get things back on track" (TORONTO
STAR, 12/1).
     WHAT WILL THE PLAYERS PRESENT?  The "key" to the talks will
be the NHLPA's counterproposal, developed through talks between
the union's negotiating committee, players and agents.  Many are
looking for the players to "bend" further on the three key issues
-- free agency, arbitration and a rookie cap (CANADIAN
PRESS/VANCOUVER SUN, 12/1).  "Someone with knowledge of their
position said the union's offer to management [today] will be
comprehensive, geared toward ending the lockout" (Joe Lapointe,
N.Y. TIMES, 12/1).  One management source, on the NHLPA:  "It's
getting to the point where they are going to have to make a
decision" (Dave Fay, WASHINGTON TIMES, 12/1).  Another management
source:  "We consider these meetings to be critical.  (The NHLPA
has) blown off the last week.  If their strategy is to delay and
push us up against a deadline, that will be clear immediately"
(Larry Brooks, N.Y. POST, 12/1).
     OR IS IT UP TO THE OWNERS?  One "prominent" agent said the
owners "should recognize the players' attempts to strike a deal"
(Lance Hornby, TORONTO SUN, 12/1).  "If the union's offering is
viewed extremely negatively by management, it could erase
whatever gains were made [in recent weeks]."  One "neutral"
source:  "If owners walk away from this there will be no season"
(Len Hochberg, WASHINGTON POST, 12/1).
     WHAT TO LOOK FOR:  Concessions by the players on free
agency, arbitration or the rookie cap could cause the owners to
"ease" their luxury tax, or even possibly remove it from
consideration (Lance Hornby, TORONTO SUN, 12/1).  On the rookie
cap, the differences are strictly "numerical" -- the union seeks
a $1.5M limit, with the league closer to $700,000.  On
arbitration, the union is concerned about the league's proposed
non-binding system -- whereby a team is not bound to an
arbitrator's decision.  Even with an NHL concession that such
"walkaway" players would be granted unrestricted free agency, the
union has fears about the potential market for such players.  The
union may propose limits on the number of "walkaway" arbitrations
a team may use.  On free agency, the union opposes the league's
"franchise player" system, in which a team retains the right to
match any offer for its highest-paid players.  The union may
propose that franchise players be guaranteed a certain salary
level (Bob McKenzie, TORONTO STAR, 12/1).
     SOMEWHERE, PUCKS WILL BE DROPPING:  Team Gretzky kicks off
its exhibition tour tonight against the IHL Vipers at The Palace
at Auburn Hills.  Gretzky denies tonight's game and the
subsequent European tour are designed to embarrass the league:
"We're playing this for charity, for NHL oldtimers, not to stir
up controversy. ... We want this tour not to go" (Gare Joyce,
Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 12/1).

     According to U.S. Soccer Federation Exec Dir/Secretary
General Hank Steinbrecher, the U.S. Soccer Foundation plans to be
"very conservative" with the $60M surplus from the World Cup,
"perhaps disbursing" somewhere between $5-6M a year.  That money
"presumably would come" from interest and investment of the
principal.  Steinbrecher: "We could spend all the money quickly
and make a terrific impact and get a pat on the back.  But I'd
rather have my grandchildren get that pat on the back."  A "prime
candidate" for early funds: "deprived economic areas" (Jerry
Langdon, USA TODAY, 12/1).