FACING COOL SALES, RAWLINGS NIXES HOCKEY EQUIPMENT BUSINESS

          Rawlings Sporting Goods said Monday that it would
     "definitely get out of the hockey equipment business,"
     according to Al Stamborski of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. 
     Rawlings said that when it bought the Vic, Victoriaville and
     McMartin brands less than three years ago, it "expected the
     hockey business to provide a seasonal balance" to its
     baseball business," but those brands have "never quite
     caught on" with hockey consumers, even though the brands
     were used by more than 150 pros.  The brands ranked a
     "distant" fifth in sales, "far behind" CCM and Bauer. 
     Rawlings said that it was in discussions with several
     potential buyers and that it "hoped" to conclude a sale
     within the next 15 months.  Rawlings purchased the brands in
     '97 for about $16.8M and took a loss of $11.3M in the just-
     ended quarter on the disposal of the lines.  In addition,
     the company said that it lost $1.5M on the hockey business
     in the quarter ended May 31 (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 7/17).