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Show "It is no simple matter to pause in the midst of one's maturity, when life is full of function, to examine what are the principles which control that functioning. " Pearl S. ). Buck, American author (1 B 892-1973- Tuesday, September 20, 1994 The Daily Herald - Strike dampens flame of fans' waning interest From my apartment in Greenwich Village, I can see across the Hudson River to Hoboken, N.J. I was born there (this means little). Sinatra was born there (this means a bit more). The first baseball game ever played was played there, on a bluff above the river. (This means a lot.) The notion that I can see this exact site by glancing out my living-roow indow is a great satisfaction, because I am a fan. Though I am allergic to what journalist Tom Callahan calls "emerald greensw ard" analysis of the game (all the misty and mystic chitchat about baseball and the American character), I am able to discuss, fairly competently, all 90 World Series. If locked in a room for a weekend. I could probably write down the names of almost half the ,000 or so men who have ever played in the major leagues. (Isn't this normal?) 0 John Leo Zft m 1 1 Baseball is a game of memory and discussion, so that part is safe. But I am so irritated by the mess baseball has created, sealed by the unthinkable cancellation of a World Series, that I am almost ready to boycott games, should they ever resume, and actually pay full attention to lower-levbackup sports, such as football. Isn't the average fan in an angry, el retaliatory mood? The conventional wisdom is that once a strike or a w alkout is over, fans flood back and all is forgotten. This time, though, there is probably much more damage than the owners imagine. Baseball has given away an edge it always had over other sports, and it may not be easy to reclaim. ' For one thing, baseball is simply not the national pastime any more. Football is. Games are rare (weekly, not easy to daily), violent, bet on, and made for television in a way baseball isn't. Most of us. given the option of going to a football game or seeing it on TV, would take TV and its replays every time. Nobody would say that about baseball. Football gains on television; baseball loses. Ken Burns' splendid TV series, TBaseball," on view this week on PBS, makes the point that baseball captured the American imagination in the fast-movin- g, I9th century partly because it was and more quicker-pace- d action-oriente- d than rounders or cricket. If so, it is now positioned to lose out to football and basketball, and perhaps even hockey, for the same reason. Baseball is a game of continuity, of fans as linking the generations well as heroes. But ours is an age of profound discontinuity. Football fits better here too. Few people know or care who played left guard for the Seattle Seahawks five years ago, or even who won the Super Bowl that year. Football is a "Now Generation" game attention suited to - ever-shorteni- spans. Don't be misled by baseball's recent financial boom. Most of it comes from new franchises and new ballparks. The run-u- p in prices, obvious in the minor leagues, has less to do w ith the health '. of the game than it does w ith the of newly rich orthodontists and w ish bra- - Syndicated Columnist manufacturers to reclassify themselves as sportsmen. The fact that older fans have the money to bid up teams doesn't mean that younger fans will want to watch. It isn't clear at all that love of the game is being passed on to the young. Many under-30- s clearly see the game's dated qualities 60ish managers walking around in beanies and knickers; two-hogames stretched to three w ith endless dithering and TV commercials. -- ur There are many disquieting signs. Friends say that when they travel around the country, the sandlots are almost always empty. Kids are playing basketball instead. The best black athletes now seem to pick football and basketball over baseball. When I go to baseball games, or watch on TV, I rarely see black fans in the stands, or Hispanics or Asian Americans either. Is baseball going to become an older white-guygame? 's With all these portents, the owners have chosen to shoot themselves in the foot whenever possible. The elimination of the commissioner's job was a crass step. The elimination of pennant races was foolish, too eight teams now qualify for a playoff. This is like telling a nation addicted to marathon-runnin- g that the top eight finishers will do to determine the real marathon winner. It shows no respect for the continuity the game depends on. - wind-sprin- ts d walkThe current out will do far more damage. By attempting to impose a salary cap on players ("Stop me, before I shop again and bid up your salaries"), the owners have wrought a great disaster. Nobody knows what will happen now. Congress may (and should) remove baseball's antitrust exemption. If the owners try to implement the salary cap, we will be bogged down in litigation, and the players may even make a stab at starting their own league. ("What do they need the owners for?" asks former major-leaguJim Bouton.) owner-provoke- unfair-labor-practi- ce er While this mess unfolds, perhaps the game will be able to hold onto its audience. But I think baseball has dealt itself a great blow. People are going to look at the game differently now, as more of a cynical business than as an ethereal national pageant. Ken Burns' thesis - that the story of baseball is the story of America - may play well w ith tolerant older fans. But I fear that many more of us will just shrug and watch something else. -- -- Public's antagonism might be aimed at members of Congress The Philadelphia Inquirer Granted, these races all had their Bob Dole and Newt Gingrich are particular issues, but together, they that membership in Congress giddy about beating a lot of Democrats suggest much of a political plus as it as isn't in November, but they may see a lot of used to be. Indeed, public approval of Republican incumbents lose as well. was just 22 percent in a reThis year, the public's antagonism Congress News CBS cent poll. may be aimed at members of ConOne reason for this negativity is the no matter party. gress, Congress' fabled dependence on camI This possibility is hinted at by the paign contributions from the political surprising losses of three House Re- action committees (PACs) of interest publicans last Tuesday. In Maryland, groups. Another sore point is the partiRep. Helen Delich Bentley was the sanship that seems to tie Congress in knots. An Associated Press poll reheavy favorite to win the Republican she was But for governor. cently asked Americans "do you think primary it would be better for the country if the beaten by a state legislator who depictas ed the five-tercongresswoman Republicans won control of Congress, estabthe or to close ... the Democrats keep control of too political being lishment. Congress, or wouldn't it make much difference?" The most common reIn Rhode Island, Rep. Ronald K. with 44 percent, was "No difanother heavy favorite sponse, Machtley ference." Was upset for the gubernatorial nomielectorate may lash out at A fed-u- p nation by a former U.S. attorney. And merelittle regard for party with incumbents New David rq York, Rep. Levy, in the and term second a for label, ly trying perhaps with little distincrein a tion the diligent and the between his lost GOP House, primary It may sound unfair, but it's a match with a law student and former backlash Congress deserves. state legislator. By m dead-woo- d. COHbttSVlAS i BUllETI- N- WHtNGfoM ; IHSTEAP OF GoiN&To HAITI ,TUe U.S. TASK fOKCE IS MOVING UPTHE rcraAM. AT 1H HOUR TO SAVE THE. CWpPLtP CITY FRA fAAKlOM BARRY. LATE Store's policy blasted There are many fine businesses in Spring-vill- e and I support them and appreciate the sen ices they offer. However, I would like to bring attention to a problem my daughter and I recently experienced in SpringvUIe. At Englund Hardware Store, we have all seen the wedding reception invitations taped to the counter. In good faith many pay to have their name included on a gift certificate for the bride and groom of their choice. Upon giving this money, we all hope the couple can pick out something they would like and could really use. Labor Day weekend I went with my daughter (who has moved away since she married, but was in town to visit us) to go find something they needed with their gift certificate which was not a small amount. We looked at the limited selection of household items they now carry vs. the larger amount they have carried in the past. She found nothing that they needed. (Before going they had prepared a list of several things they had to have or really wanted) Englund's are now mainly a hardware and bike store. We talked to the employee and asked if she could get the money instead. He said we'd have to come back on Monday when the owner was there because he wasn't allowed to do that. When she went in on Monday she was informed she had to use the certificate on merchandise. No cash. She was in a hurry trying to leave town so she asked if she could find one thing, would Mr. Englund give her the remaining cash? He said no cash would be given back. . . it had to be merchandise. By this time I came from the car to see why she was so long and he repeated the same policy to me. I explained we hadn't asked for her name to be there, we hadn't supplied him with an invitation to display and these people gave him cash as their gift to the couple. He stated, "this is my policy and the buck stops here," and he walked off. I sit here with a gift certificate and my daughter has returned home problem unresolved. I have since talked to several businesses to find what their policy is. I find that anyone who wants to stay in business will do whatever they can to satisfy the customer. Since we were not asking for them to take back any merchandise, there should be no problem. I bring this problem to the citizens' attention because, like many individuals I've talked with, I'm sure you're not aware of Chris Englund's Policy. You would be doing the bride and groom a favor to put your $3 or $5 in an envelope and giving it to them so they have complete freedom to select the gifts of their choice w ith no hassle. Another interesting side note we noticed How do you put an on the certificate expiration date on a gift certificate purchased by others? I advise anyone to give this a second thought when you're honestly trying to give a gift for a wedding. federal funding for the TRIO programs ; the programs aimed at assisting economical-- ! ! ly disadvantaged students to enter and con-- ; tinue their college education. If you believe that Utah Children need ; someone back in Washington, D.C. to keep an eye on their best interest, vote to keep Bill ; Orton in Congress. Pamela Olson ; This will be resolved, not with merchandise, and our business dealing of 20 years have been terminated. Sharon Lewis Mapleton -- Meat diet deadly '. A 2,000 page report published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency concludes the dioxin levels in the fatty tissues of Americans who consume meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products pose significant T U.N. DAYS THAT FOLLOWED, WIDOW DOONE5&M1 KEPTA Vi&LAvT EYE ON THE STRANGER. rn threat growing S. , ar " war-maki- ng '. '. ' in." During the past two decades, hardly a month has passed without disclosure of another report linking consumption of animal fat and meat with elevated risk of heart failure, stroke, cancer, diabetes, atherosclerosis, immune disorders, and other chronic diseases that each year maim and kill 1.5 million Americans. How many reports will it take before Americans turn to a plant-base- d diet? How many deaths? Alex Hershafi, PhD Provo S. the lessons of that tragedy? Will more -- Orton best bet for kids In recent years, a growing number of businesses and industries have been attractin part due to a highly educated ed to Utah work force. As elections near, it is important to remember which Representatives have been active in supporting education issues, especially the issues that affect Utah. Congressman Orton has a proven track record on accomplishing both of these objectives. This year, Orton worked to ensure that the Elementary and Secondary Education Act contained a funding formula for Chapter 1 that would not hurt Utah. Congressman Orton knows that states with smaller populations are often less likely to get a fair share of federal funds. In addition, Orton voted in favor of legislation that removed requirements for home schools and private schools because he knew that federal involvement in education issues should be limited. He supported School-to-Wor- k legislation that provides a link between high school and work for students who do not plan to attend college, and wrote a letter in support of n ID5LL, HELLO AGAIN! yUP. HELLO. SURE IS NICE OF YOU TO KBBP STOPPING STILL by, mm.f debt-ridde- X ' Ogden Letters and guest opinion policy The Daily Herald welcomes letters to the editor. Address letters to Letters to the Edi-'- " tor, PO Box 71 7, Provo, Utah, 84603. Lef : ters must be signed and include the writer's full name, address and a daytime phone number for verification. Letters should be typed, double spaced, and less than 400 words in length. Letters are usually published on a first come first served basis. (JM...HOT AT ALL! GOOD PAY! 1 1 Pit AT SHERIFF WUJNSBNDS OFFICE. LATBR. KINO OF CRIME WHAT ft i " I American lives now be sacrificed? Ousted President Aristide, whom Clinton Z wants to restore to power, is a Marxist maniac who has promoted the most grizzly forms of violence and terrorism. He adopted the gruesome "necklace" torture in which & r tire filled with gasoline or diesel fuel is hung " around the victim's neck and set ablaze. Haiti, Bosnia, Somalia, Rwanda, Palest -tine, and dozens of other U.N. military l operations threaten to further economically ' n drain our ; economy. Clinton's Haiti operation is another dan- - i gerous step in the ongoing plan for "General ; and Complete Disarmament in a Peaceful " World." This plan calls for gradual transfer ofall U.S. military power to the U.N. C Rulon Mitchell BY GARRY TRUDEAU Jv THE , Louis Lamour said in his book, The Fer-- ', guson Rifle, "It needs two to make a peace, , but only one to make an attack or war. " The U.N.-U.blockade of Haiti is an act of war that has been taken without the constideclaration of war by tutionally-required ' is Congress. Congress abdicating its respon-- ; sibility by not forcing President Clinton to '. terminate this under the guise ; of peacemaking. Clinton's planned invasion of Haiti repre-- ; sents a blatantly unconstitutional usurpation ' of power and another attempt to involve the ; U.S. in United Nations "Peacekeeping"; operations, aimed at building the U.N. into ! a global military power. ' . ; Clinton's plans to invade Haiti last yeaf were dealt a setback when 19 of America's finest were killed in Mogadishu, Somalia, in the October 3 U.N. -- initiated campaign io " "get" General Aideed. American public I outrage over the deadly fiasco and the fall- - ; commands to provide ; ure of the U.N.-U.armor and reinforcements to the downed ; Americans made a Haitian invasion politi- cally untenable. Have we already forgotten health risks. These include elevated incidence of cancer, disruption of the immune and hormonal systems, sexual abnormalities, and stunted fetal growth. Dioxins are released by industrial processes, settle in soil and waterways and accumulate in animal tissues. The conclusions are based on an exhaustive three-yereview of dozens of medical studies. Meat industry and allied government agencies are already working to subvert the report's startling conclusions and to reduce their economic fallout. The National Cattlemen's Association, following the lead of the tobacco industry, complained of insufficient evidence. Earlier this year, EPA Assistant Administrator Lynn Goldman assured reporters that "the benefits (presumably the cholesterol and saturated fat in meat) of a balanced nutritional diet far outweigh the risk of diox- Doonesbury TH. , rrovq SPREE. MRS D? HOW 7WS KNOW? YOURJOB! I ; |