A'S SALE ATTRACTS TWO LOCAL BIDDERS; HAAS IS "PLEASED"

     A's CEO & Chair Walter Haas said he was "very pleased" that
two serious prospective purchasers will step forward with offers
to buy the team and keep it in Oakland (Athletics).  Today is the
date set by the Hass family as a deadline for local buyers to
come forward, and "as an inducement" the team was offered to
local buyers for $85M, $15-$35M "under market value."  The
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum board had been actively trying to
find a local buyer to keep the A's playing in the facility, and
board member Jim Vohs said, "I'm very optimistic that we will
have the A's continue to play in Oakland."  One of the potential
buyers is the Sacramento partnership of Kevin McClatchy,
McClatchy Newspapers heir, and Fred Anderson, minority owner of
the Sacramento Kings and owner of the CFL Sacramento Gold Miners.
The other offer for the A's comes from an anonymous group.  The
team has 90 days to consider the offers and inform MLB which one
they prefer (George Raine, SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER, 12/2).