A N.Y. Times/CBS News poll shows "that fans have
followed this [MLB] season with far greater interest than at
any time since the question about their interest was first
asked in 1985," according to Murray Chass of the N.Y. TIMES.
Chass attributes the "unprecedented" home run chase has
"rocketed baseball into the minds and hearts of people who
had abandoned it after the ['94 strike]." In addition, the
wild card races involving teams such as the Mets and Cubs
has also helped boost interest. In the survey of 960 adults
taken September 22-23, 22% said they were "very interested"
in watching or following MLB, up from 15% a year ago; 41%
were "somewhat interested," up from 27% last year; while 38%
said they were "not interested at all," which is down from
58% last year. Those "interested" in MLB surpassed 60% for
the first time since the question was asked in '85. Chass
adds that MLB will set a total attendance record this season
of about 70.5 million fans (N.Y. TIMES, 9/25).
MORE KUDOS: USA TODAY's cover story runs with the
header, "What A Year: Remarkable '98 Season Is One For The
(History) Books." USA TODAY's Tom Weir: "For the first time
in years, baseball can keep a perfectly straight face while
referring to itself as the national pastime" (USA TODAY,
9/25). In Philadelphia, Claire Smith writes that McGwire
and Sosa are "the only men capable of knocking Sex, Lies and
Videotape off the front pages" (INQUIRER, 9/25). ABC "World
News Tonight" will feature MLB's season tonight (ABC, 9/24).
