LEAGUE NOTES

          In Indianapolis, Robin Miller writes that only CART
     "regulars" Derrick Walker, Chip Ganassi and Roger Penske
     "seem likely to buy or lease" IRL cars and engines to run in
     the Indianapolis 500.  Driver Bobby Rahal: "We have to
     respect our sponsors, Miller beer and Shell, but there has
     not been much comment from them about Indianapolis. 
     Nobody's sponsor is saying this is what we have to do." 
     CART team Owner Bruce McCaw: "No sponsors have knocked down
     our door or called, and I think that speaks volumes about
     what's happened at Indy. People aren't dropping everything
     to be involved anymore" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 12/16)....A NLRB
     hearing granted to the MLBUA will examine whether last
     month's "election won convincingly by dissidents" to form
     the Major League Umpires Independent Organizing Committee
     "was unfairly influenced by the owners."  The union alleges
     that owners "withheld bonus money, threatened to withhold
     termination pay and negotiated with the dissidents" which
     "interfered with a free election" (USA TODAY, 12/16).