MLB Officials in conjunction with the MLBPA "have
targeted" the Mets-Dodgers game at Shea Stadium on April 15
to honor Jackie Robinson, who broke baseball's color barrier
50 years ago, according to Bill Madden in the N.Y. DAILY
NEWS. "The plan" is for the game to be stopped in the fifth
inning, at which time President Clinton would walk to second
base, Robinson's primary position, to make a special
presentation to Robinson's widow, Rachel (N.Y. DAILY NEWS,
2/9). Robinson will also be featured on Wheaties boxes
which will be unveiled at a ceremony in New York on Tuesday
(N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/9).
MLB NEWS & NOTES: In recent days, the MLBPA has been
making final distributions of a $200M strike fund
accumulated through the withholding of players' licensing
money. Players in the majors from '91-95 are getting a
check for approximately $148,000 (N.Y. TIMES, 2/9)....There
was "not a single active" MLB player at Curt Flood's funeral
in L.A. The only players present from the post-Flood era
were Steve Garvey, Don Baylor and Doug DeCinces (SAN DIEGO
UNION-TRIBUNE, 2/19)....A's GM Sandy Alderson, on the issue
of players automatically being paid when they are suspended:
"The umpires have a legitimate beef in that area. It's
ridiculous that teams pay those fines. That should change.
We should also make umpires accountable. If they're
incompetent, they too should be fired" (BOSTON GLOBE,
2/9)....Ownership sources tell Mark Maske that Rockies Chair
Jerry McMorris is "likely to agree" to head the commissioner
search committee (WASHINGTON POST, 2/9).
