Find another job, players

I am sick to death hearing about the baseball players' strike. Let them strike. Then let them quit, or be fired if dissatisfied.

Who needs a game, originally for pleasure watching, that involves such greedy and selfish contestants? Imagine collecting million-plus in salary for something you enjoy doing. This is still not enough.

During these times of business downgrades and layoffs, these men are not satisfied to be employed let alone asking for more besides raking in the kind of money involved. To me, this is a disgrace to the game.

I say fire them all, and if necessary, abolish the game because of it. Let them feel the pressures of the real environment. Go back to the sandlot ball and let these "prima donnas" find another profession if they care. I'm sick of it.

Carolyn S. Rayme

Towson

Pay strike no mind

We should worry if our trash starts piling up in the streets or no one is there to answer our 911 calls. We should not worry if millionaires are striking and might miss a payment on their cars.

The baseball players and owners forfeited their rights to our loyalty years ago when they left the realm of sports to join the entertainment field. Since they have accepted the high rewards of that field, they must pay the penalty -- they can no longer hide behind the anonymity of ballplayers and are now scrutinized like actors.

Surely we can't take seriously the so-called pennant race and the bloated, silly three-division leagues while we watch these actors build sand castles during the heat of the race as seen during the Aug. 4 game.

Most of these performers make more salary at an at-bat than we do during the year. The owners treat the public, who build and fill their stadiums, with disdain and add insult by crying poor or threatening to move the team.

I can wax nostalgic forever about growing up with baseball in the shadows of Shibe Park and later Memorial Stadium and all those sunny Sundays with my wife and two children. Using the generous Junior Orioles program, we could enjoy a game for $10 and still have change.

My entertainment dollar now goes elsewhere since the sport died along with Memorial Stadium. Where have you gone Brooks, Frank and Boog?

George Pfeiffer

Bel Air

Players know not of unions

It is with great amusement I read in The Sun about the poor baseball players. They want business to share profits. They talk about unions. They have no idea about unions.

In a true union, a bargaining committee bargains for the best salary it can get and then it is by individual jobs for which they bargain. It would be done by position and length of service, and then the union would vote to accept or reject.

Also, if the public would decide they have had enough of high prices for seats, then where would players and owners be? After all, they are only selling amusement and not a necessity.

If owners lose money, they still have to pay high salaries. If the general public would not buy the high-priced tickets, then everyone would be up the river without oars.

Robert Hubbard

Cockeysville

Plea to fans: boycott

The letters I have read in the newspapers and magazines blame the baseball players or the owners for the strike. These people are totally wrong, because they should be blaming themselves, the baseball fans.

If the baseball fans would stop supporting the outrageous salaries and the horrendous food and beverage prices at concession stands, maybe the owners, ballplayers and concessionaires might get the message that the common public cannot afford to go to the games. How do we, the baseball fans, do this? We still go to the games, but we do not buy anything to eat or drink while attending the games.

Now about the salaries: This is a very easy solution. We continue to watch the games on television, but boycott all advertised products.

Bernard H. White

Glen Burnie

Setting Dunbar record straight

I am glad that Pete Pompey has been cleared of any threat of criminal charges after an investigation into his alleged mishandling of Dunbar High School funds.

But when his lawyer points out that Dunbar's basketball team slipped from the No. 1 national ranking to No. 5 in his absence, and when Pompey, who wants to return, says "I'd like to see us get back on top as No. 1," I think they are overlooking one important fact.

In 1992, Dunbar was able to be recognized as the nation's top team because its membership in the old Maryland Scholastic Association allowed it to play a national schedule. Last season, Dunbar joined the MPSSAA with the other city schools,

and was limited geographically in its scheduling. Therefore, it lost its national exposure.

A No. 5 nationwide ranking under these circumstances should not be criticized, nor should Dunbar coach Paul Smith, who did an outstanding job last year in an extremely difficult situation.

Tom Longstreth

Baltimore

Oates' strategies costing wins

How much longer will the owners and the fans of the Orioles continue to allow manager Johnny Oates to give away victories? changes pitchers, who have in many cases gone six or seven innings, allowing less than six hits and two walks with a reliever who will give up four hits, walk a couple and allow three to four runs to score in an inning.

In my opinion, Jamie Moyer could have a record of 10-4 without Oates' misguided strategy. There are others who were pitching very well with a lead only to have a relief pitcher come in and throw away the game.

Sure you say, look at Lee Smith's record. He has been brought into games in most circumstances with a comfortable lead when he really wasn't needed.

In my opinion, Oates has lost more Orioles games than his starters. Without Oates, the Orioles could be in first place now by two or three games. The devoted Orioles fans deserve a winner, not a loser.

Ed Bailey

Palm Coast, Fla.

Nicklaus is owed an apology

I think former PGA golfer Charlie Sifford owes Jack Nicklaus an apology for accusing Nicklaus of making a racist remark.

As part of his answer when asked why blacks had not made more of an impact at the highest levels of the sport, Nicklaus is quoted as having said, "Blacks have different muscles that react in different ways."

Now that may not have been a very profound response, but it certainly wasn't "racist" in nature. Sifford's complaint about alleged "racism," however, doesn't surprise me. In fact, it's what I've come to expect.

Richard Seymour

Baltimore

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