Orlando's bid for the NFL Pro Bowl is examined by Steve
Kornacki in the SENTINEL under the header "With Disney's
Backing, Orlando Eyes Pro Bowl." NFL Dir of Communications
Greg Aiello said a final Pro Bowl decision would be made "no
later" than the NFL owners' meetings October 14-15. Broncos
Owner Pat Bowlen: "Disney and ESPN ... have done a hell of a
job, and Orlando is impressive. But it's a matter of what
the players want, and I hear the NFLPA likes Hawaii"
(ORLANDO SENTINEL, 6/10)....The U.S. Women's Cup soccer
championship game between U.S.-Italy drew 11,208 at RFK
Stadium on Sunday (WASHINGTON POST, 6/9)....The Women's
Professional Fastpitch league is profiled by Barry Jacobs in
today's N.Y. TIMES under the header "Softball's New Cachet
Spawns A League Of Pros." Jacobs: "In many respects, the
attitudes and atmosphere in the six-team league are
reminiscent of the lower levels of minor league baseball"
(N.Y. TIMES, 6/10)....MLB umpire Mike Di Muro, the first
American umpire to work full time in Japanese pro baseball,
has left Japan three months into the season, after "an on-
field fracas in which several players and coaches shoved and
struck him during a game." MLB officials "called Di Muro
home over the incident ... bringing a sour end to what
started out as a promising exchange." Di Muro was invited
to Japan to improve the quality of Japanese umpiring, and
many "called his departure a setback for Japan. Di Muro has
become something of a celebrity." None of the Japanese
players or coaches involved in the incident were fined or
suspended (WASHINGTON POST, 6/10).
