NLRB Chair William Gould urged players and owners to "return
to bargaining immediately," in a speech to sports lawyers
Tuesday. Gould called it "imperative" that the MLBPA and owners'
PRC "sit down and commence bargaining in these weeks leading up
to the All-Star game so that the public and fans can focus on the
pennant races and the new statistical achievements of individual
players without the distraction which seems to plague all
professional sports in our time" (AP/Minneapolis STAR-TRIBUNE,
6/28).
AROUND THE HORN: Several MLB teams are still facing
disappointing attendance figures. In Miami, Dan Le Batard writes
that the "spotlight" is now on baseball: "Now we'll see, in the
absence of everything else if the people will return to embrace
embattered, bandaged baseball" (MIAMI HERALD, 6/27). In
Philadelphia, Jayson Stark calls the current Phillies homestand
against the Reds "the beginning of baseball week in Philadelphia.
... It could be the week that makes people forget about the big
S-word [strike]" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 6/28). In Milwaukee,
where the Brewers are 27th of 28 in attendance, players are
calling for more fan support and a new stadium. Mike Fetters:
"I believe it's going to be a graveyard until there's a new
stadium" (Tom Haudricourt, MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 6/28). In
St. Louis, Bernie Miklasz writes, "Scorecard: Baseball has no
commissioner, no labor agreement, no long-term television
contract. Bud Selig wins the Triple Crown! ... Baseball doesn't
need a commissioner, it needs an exorcist" (ST. LOUIS POST-
DISPATCH, 6/28).
