HUB GETS '99 MIDSUMMER CLASSIC; IS NOMAR THE EARLY MVP FAV?

          AL President Gene Budig officially awarded the '99 MLB
     All-Star Game to the Red Sox.  It will be the first All-Star
     Game at Fenway Park since 1961 (MLB).  In Boston, Peter May
     writes that the Red Sox "originally had planned to host the
     game in 2001 but switched with Milwaukee because the
     Brewers' new stadium won't be ready" for '99.  State execs
     said the city "could conservatively expect" $40M in revenue
     from the four days.  City tourism officials said that 12,000
     hotel rooms need to be reserved for the event and "that
     process already was well under way."  MLB officials still
     need to find a site for MLB's FanFest (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/25).
          WHILE IN BOSTON: ESPN's Peter Gammons: "Give Bud Selig
     some credit.  While the rest of his owners were screaming
     for their own self interests in realignment, Selig was
     willing to sacrifice the one thing he really wants for his
     Brewers -- a place in the same division as the Cubs -- for
     the good of the game" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 9/24).