FRANCHISE NOTES: AZTECAS MAKE A RUN FOR THE BORDER

     The CBA's Mexico Aztecas will move to San Diego for the '95-
96 season, the team announced yesterday.  The to-be-renamed CBA
club will play home games at the former home of the Clippers --
The San Diego Sports Arena.  Team officials said that they will
market themselves to fans in Tijuana and may play a few games
there (AP/Tacoma NEWS-TRIBUNE, 7/20)....The Rapid City Thrillers
of the CBA will set up shop next season in West Palm Beach.  Team
president John Samuelson said the team was not profitable despite
drawing well in Rapid City (MIAMI HERALD, 7/20).... In his column
in this morning's ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, Bernie Miklasz
criticizes Anheuser-Busch for letting the Cardinals deteriorate
and warns the Rams not to become complacent (ST. LOUIS POST-
DISPATCH, 7/21)...."Like it or not," Astros Owner Drayton McLane
has proposed a new deal to keep his club's spring training
operations in Kissimmee, FL for another five years.  The city has
not responded, and Osceloa County officials are saying "they are
not sure they want the Astros."  Alan Truex reports that the
Orioles could be a possible competitor for Kissimmee (HOUSTON
CHRONICLE, 7/18)....In Hartford, the Whalers are pushing to sell
10,000 season tickets this season.  Owner Peter Karamanos says
the team lost $11.5M last year and played before the most empty
seats in the NHL.  The team had about 5,500 season tickets last
season.  A TV ad campaign runs this summer and sales reps are out
in Hartford and around CT and Western MA trying to get the word
out (Jeff Jacobs, HARTFORD COURANT, 7/16).