K.C. COLUMNISTS WEIGH IN ON ROYALS' OWNERSHIP SITUATION

          In K.C., two columnists comment on the Royals'
     ownership situation.  Columnist Jerry Heaster, on the team's
     Board of Directors' failure to hold an auction for team
     ownership: "It's inexplicable that the directors are willing
     to wait another year when numerous offers from apparently
     committed Kansas City interests are on the table.  As these
     offers have proliferated it's also increasingly difficult to
     resist the notion that the interim stewards are enjoying
     themselves too much to let go until forced to do so by the
     rules of the transition game" (K.C. STAR, 9/24).  Columnist
     Jeffrey Flanagan speculates on the Royals possibly rejecting
     a bid from George Brett's ownership group: "Can you imagine
     the anger, disgust, sense of betrayal and ultimate
     resentment the fans in this town might feel if the Royals
     would say no to Brett?  Right or wrong, the fans in this
     city have made it obvious from the minute they knew Brett
     was interested in buying the team that they want him to be
     the Royals' next owner" (K.C. STAR, 9/25).