The new MD Fall League, a player development league
scheduled to begin in September in Frederick, Bowie,
Salisbury and Wilmington, DE, has gotten commitments from 24
MLB teams to send three-to-six Class A or AA prospects for
its 42-game schedule. A championship will "likely" be held
at Camden Yards in November. Unlike the AZ Fall League, the
MD league "will not receive a penny" from MLB, and will
"need to rely almost exclusively on sponsorships and ticket
sales to stay afloat" (WASHINGTON POST, 7/15)....CART driver
Alex Zanardi, who has won three straight races, including
Sunday's Medic Drug Grand Prix of Cleveland, is considering
"moving to the European Formula One circuit." In Akron,
Michael Weinreb wrote, "CART does not need this. The
circuit just broke apart from the Indy Racing League in 1995
... It doesn't need to lose Zanardi. Its star. Its
pizzazz. Its best hope." CART Dir of PR Mike Zizzo: "On
his personality alone, the people are flocking to see us
now." Weinreb: "He could be CART's star, its selling point.
But not if he leaves" (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 6/13)....In
Cleveland, Dennis Manoloff reported that the NPSL "is
considering expansion to Mexico, which would be the third
country in its sphere" (PLAIN DEALER, 7/14)....The Phoenix
entry in the new Premier Soccer Alliance (PSA), which begins
its first season July 25, will be called the Thunder (PSA).
