Telegraph-Forum from Bucyrus, Ohio • 10

Page Ten BUCYRUS (OHIO) TELEGRAPH-FORUM Friday, July 29, 19M Baseball players set Aug. 12 as strike date w. eronTS telegraph-forum The owners have made it clear that they are prepared to unilaterally implement a salary cap without the players consent alter the season ends. This leaves the players no other choice. Donald Fehr Bud Sells of the Milwaukee Brewers, head of the ruling executive council and one of the small-market owners insisting on change, said be was troubled by the days events.

Selig, speaking from his home in Milwaukee, said baseballs economic problems had to be addressed. Owners claim 19 of the 29 clubs will lose money this year but refuse to mak financial data public. "The amount of despair everywhere is frightening, Selig said. "Hie economic distress in some places is so deep that I dont know how we don't face It. The consequences if we dont face these problems are worse than what we do best in this Industry: sweeping it under the rug.

Tomorrow is here. Nobody is sorrier about that than I am. I wished these problems had been faced earlier up the road. A strike would interrupt the pursuit of Roger Maris' hose run record by Ken Griffey Jr. and Matt WQliams and Tony Gwynn's attempt to hit .400.

have made It clear that they are prepared to unilaterally implement a salary cap without the players consent after the seascn ends. This leaves the players no other Baseball, caning off record revalue of $1-8 billion Inst season and with an average player salary of $1.2 million tins year, is stuck in a three-way confrontation among large-market dubs, teams and the players. Small-market owners say they need large-market clubs to share more revenue, and all owners voted unanimously to tie increased revenue sharing to a salary cap, which management is threatening to impose after the season. Players say a cap would destroy free agency by inhibiting player movement "This is not a fight of the players making, Febr aid. "They really dont have much choice in the matter and it is terribly unfortunate.

When asked bow long a confrontation could last, Fehr said "as long as it takes. NEW YORK (AP) Baseball players will go on strike two weeks from today unless owners drop their demand for a salary cap and agree to a new labor contract "At this point, I feel theres definitely going' to be a strike, San Francisco Giants pitcher Rich Uonteleone said Thursday after he joined 30 other members of the unions executive board in a "unanimous vote to set the Aug. 12 date for a walkout A work stoppage would be baseball's eighth in 22 years and would threaten the final 52 days of the regular season, fits new expanded playoffs and the World Series. It also would threaten the owners postseason television money, which they estimate at $140 million. "A strike is a last resort, union head Donald Fehr said after the board met in a 90-minute telephone conference call.

No one wants to play ball more than the players do. But the owners continue to insist on a salary cap. The owners Rogers fires perfect game Fires 12th perfect game in major league history header from Baltimore 7-2 and Detroit beat Seattle 4-2 in 11 innings; Milwaukee beat Toronto 5-4 and Kansas City beat Chicago Yankees 4, Red Sox 2, Red Sox 1, Yankees 1 At New York, Tom Brunansky homered, and Joe Hesketh, wifi) help from three relievers, held the Yankees to four hits in the second game. Earlier, the Yankees beat the Red Sox In LI innings as the teams completed Wednesday nights game that was suspended by rain in die eighth inning. Mike Stanley led the way with two homers and three RBIs for the Yankees.

Hesketh (7-4) allowed two singles and struck out eight in 7 2-3 innings. Ken Ryan got his 11th save. Brunanskys eighth homer came with two out in the fourth off Scott-Kamieniedti (7-6). to the first game, Benito Williams, was running when Gallego lined a J-2 pitch from Ryan (2-3) into right-center. Williams easily beat the relay to the plate to make a winner of Bob Wickman (54).

Tigers 4, Mariners 2, 11 bmtop At Mickey Tettleton's two-run homer in the llth gave the Tigers three straight wins for the time in more than six weeks, Milt Cuyler singled off Bobby Ayala (4-3) and Tettleton, who had only one RBI since July 4, hit a 2-0 pitch into the upper deck in right fa his lSthhamer. Joe Boever (8-2) allowed only one hit ova the final 1 14 innings. Brewers 5, Blue Jays 4 Kevin Seitzer singled in the winning run to the ninth as the Brewers swept three at Toronto for the first time since 1967. Jody Reed led off with a stogie and Turner Ward walked before Seitzer singled between third and shortstop: Reed scored just ahead of Rob Butlers throw. Relievo- Jesse Orosco (2-1) got the win.

Danny Cox (0-1) took the loss. Royals 5, White Sox 2 At Kansas City, shaky David Cone pitched out of one jam after another. The Royals scored twice on catcher Mike LaValliere's error in a four-run second. Cone (15-4) tied New Jimmy Key and Baltimore's Mike Mussina fa the league lead in victim ries. He allowed eight hits and three runs ova- 7 14 innings.

Rookie Scott Ruff corn (9-2) lasted only 2 14 innings. By The Associated Press Kenny Rogers distinguished himself from every pitcher in Texas Rangers history even Nolan Ryan. Rogers pitched the 12th perfect game in moder major-league history Thursday night, retiring all 27 California batters to lead the Rangers to a 44 victory over the Angela. Not even the great Ryan, who-pitched a record seven no-hitters in 27 stellar seasons, could claim a perfect garn among his many not, able performances. Rogers (11-4) pitched the first perfect game since Dennis Martinez did it far.

Montreal exactly three yean ago in a 24 win over Los Angeles. I never thought about a perfect game. I was thinking about the nohitter until the last out, Rogers said. I just threw strikes. I got ahead -of a tot of hitters and that helped a- -lot, he said Rusty Greer, gosh, what can you say after a guy makes a catch like that? Rex Rudler led off the ninth with a slicing liner to' right-cente.

Greer, -the Rangers rookie centerfielder, ran to his left, angling toward the infield, left his feet and was nearly- horizontal as he made a back-, handed grab. I never thought he was gang to get it, Rogers said. I thought that ball was going to drop, no matter; what Then I thought the ball going to pop ota. Greer, however, was determined to preserve the first perfect game by a left-hander in American League history. I was gang to give it my best effort whether I caught it or not, Greer said.

The last perfect game in the AL was by Mike Witt for the Angels against Texas on Sept 30, 1984, the -last day of the season. Rogers struck out eight, four sw-, inging and four looking. He went to a three-ball count seven times, includ-, tog on four straight batters starting-. with two out in the sixth. It was the third no-hitter of the: season, Andrew Lorraine (0-2) was tagged for four runs and five hits to the first' three inningsbef ore settling down to -retire 10 in a Elsewhere In the.

American League, New York and Boston split, the Yankees' winning 4-3 to. completion of a suspended game and -the Red Sox responding with a 14 victory; Cleveland swept double- Indians BALTIMORE (AP) Since there are no guarantees that baseball's regular season wait stretch past mid-August, the Cleveland Indians arent taking' any chances. As far as theyre concerned, the L. best way to get into the playoffs is to be to playoff position by Aug. li the day the players have threatened to strike.

The Indians moved back into first place in the AL Central Thursday night, taking a one-game lead over Chicago by sweeping doubleheader, from the. Baltimore. Albert Belle and Sandy Alomar bantered to the Indians 7-2 victory to the opena, and Eddie Murray hit two hornets to lead Cleveland to a 5-2 Catch saves pitching gem ARLINGTON. Texas (AP) Kenny Rogers, master of afl of his pitches on a historic night, was a master of understatement as well. In describing a marvelous nintl inning catch by cater fielder Rusty Greer that preserved baseball's 12th perfect game, Rogers said his went after it like there was a no-hitter on the line.

During a sparkling 44 victory over California on Thursday night, the only one of Rogers 98 pitches that threatened to fall untouched to the outfield grass came off the bat of RexHndler. I told the tons in the first few rows that I was gong to break it up, the California second baseman said. Everybody was yelling at me, saying, -Doit you do it' I told than I was going to dork him. He throw me two curves few strikes, and then on the next pitch I saw a fastball grip and the ball came out over the plate. I hit it off the aid of my bat I said to myself, 'I dorked But the ball just kept floating like it was floating on air and I said to myself, Oh, no, the kid is going to catch it The fed was gong to give it my fcjeri effort whether I.

caught it or not Greer said. No matter what, I was going to dive. For naught Rogers believed When ti left his bat I thought it was a hit fa sure, he admitted. I got a pretty good jump, Greer said, just dove and It fell to my glove. Rogers still wasn't sure.

I never tJwight he was going to get ft, Rogers said I thought that ball was going to drop, no matter what Then I thought the ball was going to pop out I knew, Rogers added, there was going to be a defensive play before it was over, but nek something that spectacular. When he made the catch, I thntigK wanted me to do this. Do it he did by inducing the next two batters into routine outs and setting off a wild celebration around the mound. A For the record, Rogers (114) struck out eight four on called third, strikes, as Texas turned the tables on California. On the last day of the 1984 season, California's Mike Witt threw the last American League perfect game to beating the Rangers.

The last previous perfect game was thrown by Montreals Dennis Martinet against Los Angeles three years ago. Rogers is the first American League lefty to throw a perfect game and the third overall, joining Los Angeles Sandy Koutox (1965) and Cincinnati's Tom Browning (1988). This was the third no-hitter of the season. Kent Mercker pitched one for Atlanta on April 8 at Los Angeiea and Scott Encksoc did it for M3nn sota against Milwaukee oo April 27, You Know Business. We Know Business Insurance, OO jCuf XSii'M-S 'SL(S'C8 MCS MMi.se Auj-Cw-en poiscis 'cysa-ds -3F te ra.rv wsever iw -4i4 -s.

vzt-er e. jar -ert -e yCJ Insurance Center ol Bucyrus John Gebhardt David Gebhardt 207 S. Sandusky Av. Call 562-2891 v4uto-Ouinen Insurance Texas pitcher Kenny Rogers acknowledges the crowd after the second out of the ninth inning to Arlington, Texas, Thursday night Rogers threw a perfect gam against the California Angels, 44. move into first after sweep win to the nightcap.

If the players end up going on strike and dont settle until October, theres a possibility the playoff teams wifl be determined the standings on Aug. 12. -What they've done is make the. next two weeks effectively, possibly, the last two weeks of the Hargrove said. I hope its not.

Thats what the Orioles are hoping, too. Baltimore has lost seven of nine to fall six games behind first- place New York in the AL East The Orioles also Chicago by three games to the race fa- the wild-card spot. First-gam loser Mika Mussina said the Orioles are playing as if they are distracted by the pending Associated Press Associated Press pitcher Perfect pitcher Winning strike. -The whole team's a little out of it right now, be said. There's a lot of things flying around and a lot of guys are thinking about a lot of stuff.

As far as I know, were not a championship-caliber team. ft was Clevelands first sweep since taking a pair from Texas oo May 6, 1990. The Indians last swept a doubleheader from Baltimore to 1987. Its big to be in first place, to be the ate people are charing, said Jason Grimriey (3-1), who pitched 5 24 innings in the nightcap. The pressures off you and is on the people chasing you.

First place is always better than second. In the first game, Alomar and Belle both connected off Mussina (lf-5), who suffered his first loss since June 16- BelleS solo homer was his 33rd of the season and seventh in the lari nine game. Belle was scheduled to meet with American League president Bobby Brown today in New York to appeal his 19-day suspension for using a corked bat In the second game, Murray hit a two-run homo- to the second inning and his 17th of the season to open the ninth. Both came off Sid Fernandes (84), who has allowed 28 homers thin season. COLONEL CRAWFORD 4.91 mill TEMPORARY 3 Year Levy 2 Largest Projected Expenses: 1 Building Repairs improvements 2 Text Books, Library Books, Furniture SHOW YOUR EAGLE PRIDE AUGUST 2ND by C.C.

Levy Committee, Linda Efaw. 6598 Lota Creak TVo, Oft. Cleveland Indians pitcher Jack Morris fires the ball against the Baltimore Orioles Thursday. Morris (194) allowed two runs in more than seven innings as the Indians went on to sweep a doubleheader. I I II Hill.