BASEBALL: In Dallas, Ken Daley reports that for the
seventh year in a row, MLB's average salary topped the $1M
level, increasing 4.2% in '98 to a record $1,441,406. Of
the 840 players listed on teams' Opening Day rosters, 98
players earn more than $4M (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 4/24)....In
Hartford, Matthew Lubanko wrote that merchandise sales now
account for about 10% of the average minor league team's
total revenues (HARTFORD COURANT, 4/24).
NOTES: SI's Kostya Kennedy writes that the NHL "would
love" to have Oilers President/GM Glen Sather "succeed" NHL
VP/Operations Brian Burke, "who is all but certain to leave
his post after this season. However, that's a thankless,
noncreative job that Sather would be unlikely to accept"
(SI, 4/27 issue)....Venus Williams has signed on as a member
of the USA Tennis Spokesteam, pledging support for USA
Tennis Plan for Growth activities (USA Tennis)....MLS execs
have "quietly contacted" local Portland, OR, officials "to
express their interest in expanding" there. MLS Commissioner
Doug Logan, from a letter sent to the Civic Stadium Advisory
Committee: "If Civic Stadium converted to a permanent
natural grass field, I am confident MLS would not be far
behind." Logan said if the venue situation "could be
clarified," the league could expand to Portland by 2001 or
2002 (Portland OREGONIAN, 4/23)....The World Boxing Assn.
and the World Boxing Council "have agreed to closer ties
that will unify their rules and eventually could create only
one champion in each weight category." The two groups will
still need to persuade promoters to accept the agreement.
The WBC is expected to present the proposal to promoters in
at is annual convention in October (AP/Mult., 4/24).
