The Jackson Sun from Jackson, Tennessee • 21

MORE INSIDE Scoreboard 2C College football 3C Baseball 4C Markets 7C Business 8C CALL US To contact The Sun's sports department, call 1-800-269-0488 or: Executive Sports Editor Steve Locklin, 425-9750. Sports Editor Dan Morris, 425-9636. John Denton, high schools, 425-9751. Taylor Wilson, outdoors, 425-9634. SPORTS Thursday, Sept.

15, 1994 1C KVA (oo)W Dfu John DENTON Free-agent fan WHAT'S INSIDE a 90-plus mph fastball and a possible draft pick next spring, offers his perspective. Page 5C Young players speak out Six area youth baseball players offer their opinions. Bottom line they're disappointed. Page 5C Important years A look at past threats to the World Series. Page 5C With baseball's World Series canceled, what's next for the game.

It could be chaos. By RONALD BLUM The Associated Press NEW YORK Baseball's revolution has begun. When the game returns and no one is really sure when it surely will be different than it was on Aug. 11, when the last games were played. "This is all uncharted waters," said Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Orel Hershiser.

Barring a deal and few expect one until March at the earliest players and owners will try to wipe each other out. Owners will impose a salary cap, players will refuse to sign contracts and agent Dick Moss Donald Fehr's predecessor as the union's general counsel will try to organize the first new major league since the Federal League took the field in 1914-15. "The goal is to field teams in April, so you would have to be pretty far along by January," Moss said Tuesday night as baseball awaited the owners' final decision. Moss, an agent for many players, tried to organize a new league in 1989 but dropped his plans when the 1990 lockout was settled and the economy fell into a recession. Donald Trump and Meshulam Riklis also dropped out as potential investors.

In recent weeks, Moss has revived the concept. With Wednesday's announcement, he says intensive organizing will begin for an 8- to 12-team Please see BASEBALL, 4C Owners cancel season, Page 1A Greed killed baseball, Page 9A his thoughts. Page 4C The issues A point-by-point look at what the two sides want. Page 4C What might have been A look at what could have happened had the season continued on uninterrupted. Page 5C Future player's view USJ's Josh McNatt, owner of 1994 season ended.

This is the Yankee Stadium, which might have been the site for some of this year's World Series games, lies empty Wednesday as the The end came as no surprise Final standings The final team standings for the season that never ended. Page 2C A chronological look A listing of the important days leading up to the season's cancellation. Page 4C Mike's perspective Gannett News Service columnist Mike Lopresti gives fate of this baseball season. And, as it turns out, the Union University baseball coach was exactly right. Just as Rushing predicted earlier in August in a round-table discussion conducted by The Jackson Sun, the remainder of the 1994 season, the playoffs and World Series were canceled Wednesday when the powers that run baseball determined a strike settlement was not imminent.

"I'm not surprised at all by it," said Rushing. "The strike's gone on so long it's already ruined the season and I really just don't care anymore. And if I'm feeling like importance Cases in point: in 1990, Ten nessee returned the second-half kickoff for a touchdown to break open a 7-3 game. In 1991, Florida blocked a punt to set up a touchdown. In 1992 Tennessee did the same.

Last year Florida recovered a fumble on the second-half kickoff and scored on the next play to stretch its lead to two touchdowns, and Tennessee never recovered. Please see VOLS, 3C i i- i 4 oil One fan that won't give up Like most, when I first heard talk of a strike that could end the baseball season, I refused to believe it. The fan in me just wouldn't allow it Somehow, some way, I figured, the millionaires (players) and the billionaires (owners) would come up with an llth-hour solution to save the game that has always meant so much to me. But now, the game that has always been there, is gone. The game that has weathered wars, scandals and seven other strikes has left us and no one is certain when it's coming back.

As far as baseball is concerned, 1994 will provide two lasting memories: My affiliation with the Chicago Cubs as West Tennessee's free-agent fan and as the season baseball couldn't finish what it started. Wednesday was not a good day for baseball fans, the kind of day that leaves you with that kicked-in-the-stomach feeling. When I first glanced at the television screen from across the room, I saw acting commission Bud Selig's face. The words coming from his lips were not immediately audible, but they weren't particularly necessary either. I knew then, what I refused to believe earlier, baseball was over.

Baseball memories And rather than think of all of the greed, deceit and hypocrisy that has managed to tear the game down and end arguably the greatest season in recent memory, for some reason I immediately thought of the memories that have made this game so great to me: The time when I was 5 years old and I got to shake then St. Louis Cardinal Joe Torre's hand and get his autograph. The time when virtual nobody Rex Hudler threw me a ball during batting practice and I felt as if I could walk on water. The numerous times I spent in the bed as a child listening to games on the radio when I was supposed to be asleep. Or that day seven years ago when at a card show, when I served as a chaperone to baseball's all-time home run king, Hank Aaron.

Filling the void Sure, football season has somewhat filled the void created by the strike, but I wonder what I'm going to feel like when October rolls around and there's no World Series. So what do I turn to now? Someone asked me if I was ready to give up on baseball because of all of this. A lot of frustrated people will abandon baseball, but I will not. Eventually, baseball will get its problems solved. And someday I hope to take my son to a game and this sorrow will have faded.

But Wednesday the day baseball left us will never be forgotten. John Denton, who was voted in as a free-agent fan by a phone poll of Jackson Sun readers, can be reached at 1-800-372-3922 or 425-9751. No timetable for Ole Miss vacancy University of Mississippi officials have not set a timetable to find a permanent replacement for fired football coach Billy Brewer or evaluate interim coach Joe Lee Dunn. "At some point, you've got to decide what direction you're going to go and how you're going about it," said Robert Khayat, interim athletic director. "But to talk about it now is premature." Dunn became interim head coach July 13, a day after Brewer was fired in the wake of the NCAA investigation.

Round-table discussion members are saddened by Wednesday's events. "I think the season's over. Because of the greed of the players, the home run records, the Cy Young awards, that stuff does not mean enough to them to bring them back." Andy Rushing on Aug. 12. By JOHN DENTON The Jackson Sun Just over one month ago today, Jackson's Andy Rushing said those words about the Sun file Jackson's Ron Barry wasn't surprised by Wednesday's cancellation announcement.

'October without a World Series is like December without Andy Rushing, Union baseball coach that, you can imagine what this has done to the average fans." Ron Barry, also a member of the discussion a month ago, said he was saddened, but not surprised by the news of the season's end. "I really thought when they first went on strike and we Deion turns Cornerback, team talking deal. The Associated Press SANTA CLARA, Calif. -With the baseball season gone, Deion Sanders wasted no time closing in on a new job with the San Francisco 49ers. The free-agent cornerback and Cincinnati Reds out Special teams of crucial The Associated Press first cancellation in 90 years.

had our discussion that we had seen the last baseball of the season," said Barry, the coordinator of Jackson's efforts to bring a minor-league baseball franchise to West Tennessee. "In my heart of hearts I was hoping I was wrong, but I guess I wasn't." Both agreed life without a World Series in October is going to be difficult "October without a World Series is like December without Christmas," Rushing said. "I have no idea what it's going to be like, because I've never been through an Octo- Please see NEWS, 4C to 49ers fielder told an Atlanta television station he had decided against rejoining the Atlanta Falcons and intended to sign with the 49ers. Sanders rejected a more lucrative offer from the Miami Dolphins. In the 49ers' bid to sign Sanders, they freed $1.3 million under the salary cap by restructuring the contracts of three other players.

The change in affiliation means an entirely new squad for the Chicks next season. All players, the coaching staff and trainer, will be under contract with the Padres. There will also be a change in rules. Pitchers will bat in games against other National League affiliates. Under Southern League rules, games involving only National League affiliates will use National League rules.

The designated hitter will be used when Memphis plays an American League affiliate next year. In previous games, turnovers have spelled difference. By TOM SHARP The Associated Press KNOXVILLE No. 1 Florida and Tennessee have split their last four games, and all four had at least three things in common: The home team won. The team that ran for the J.

4 1 photo FLORIDA V. 1BHESSB JEMM BATTLE ON THE HILL most yardage won. A special teams play was a turning point. "I think in big games always the kicking game can win it or lose it," Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer said. Chicks sign development deal with Padres Events happy to have Capriati Jennifer Capriati's decision to play tennis again came as a delightful surprise to the two tournaments she has entered.

"It is good news," said Beate Steger, spokeswoman for the Barilla Indoors tournament at Zurich, Switzerland, where Capriati will begin her comeback. "I can't think of better news for women's tennis," said Anne Person Worcester, the new chief executive officer of the WTA Tour. "We are thrilled about it and look forward to having her phase back in at a pace that feels comfortable for her." "It's going to be different this time," Capriati said. "I'm not going to put a lot of pressure on myself. I just want to play again, have fun and see how it goes." Her entry into Zurich makes that one of the strongest fields this fall.

The San Diego Padres announced Wednesday the signing of a player development contract with the Memphis Chicks. The Chicks will serve as San Diego's double-A affiliate for 1995 and 1996 under terms of the contract. The Padres were affiliated with the Wichita Wranglers in the Texas League last season. "Our goal as an organization is to have our players play in the best situation possible," said Steve Lubratich, assistant general manager for the Padres. Th Associated Pre Jennifer Capriati says her return to tennis beginning Oct.

3 will be different..