ECKELS PLAYS HOUSTON HARDBALL -- BUT IS HE TOO LATE?

     In an effort to keep the Astros in Houston, Harris County
Judge Robert Eckels plans on hiring Stafford Sports Ventures, a
Philadelphia-based company that has negotiated leases for Jacobs
Field and Coors Field and which currently has another "high-
profile client" -- the Virginia Baseball Stadium Authority.  The
HOUSTON CHRONICLE's John Williams reports Stafford would be paid
$100,000 to help Eckels negotiate with the Astros but must first
drop the VBSA, which is trying to bring the Astros to Northern
VA.  Astros Owner Drayton McLane has said that if an acceptable
agreement for a new stadium is not resolved by August 1, he will
resume negotiations to sell the team to the Virginia group
(HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 7/24).