OCR Text |
Show Baseball Players Have No Spirit announced he had an agent and would ask $1,000,000 next year. His gratitude didn't extend ex-tend much beyond a smile and a suggestion that he might not learn the English Language. Times have changed. By PETE FRITICHIE One reason baseball is turning turn-ing off fans these days is that players don't have the spirit most of them personified a generation ago. IN THE old days, players came up the hard way, they were thrilled to get a "chance" to make a Major League club. They were grateful for what they get and that was, usually, usual-ly, more than most of their fellow fel-low men got. And they also got fame. Their hustle reflected dedication to the game. There was no thought of striking, lawyers representing them, and leaving the club that gave them their chance. Well, maybe it's good that some of the script has changed. But change has gone too far. Note the sensational Mexican rookie of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Fernando Valenzuela was brought up at a good rookie salary of $42,000. (That was big money to him, and his family). HE WAS hot the first part of the year, only good the second half. But the Dodger organization organiza-tion went all out to help him develop, to publicize him and win him the Cy Young Award. He got it. Immediately afterward he No Seconds To err is human but it takes a better excuse the second time. -Record, Columbia, S.C. |