Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 2, 1994 TAG: 9403020080
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
White's election as league president in 1989 was considered a breakthrough following widespread criticism of baseball's lack of minority hiring in its front offices. Coleman, like White, is black, and becomes the highest-ranking black official in U.S. professional sports.
"I'm extremely proud of my African-American heritage," said Coleman, a former semipro outfielder in New Jersey. "I'd like to think I was appointed - and Bill was appointed - based on leadership abilities."
Coleman, 45, was given a four-year term. He came to baseball with a varied background, unusual for an industry where much of the hiring is done through an old-boy network. He is on the boards of the Metropolitan Opera and Seton Hall University, and is a friend of Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
In other business, the American League announced league president Bobby Brown had a malignant tumor removed from his prostate Feb. 14 and should make a full recovery. And owners of both leagues will appoint an expansion committee today that is to report its findings in the summer.
While fans in St. Petersburg, Fla., and Phoenix may find that encouraging, baseball committees consistently have failed to meet their deadlines. Many owners say expansion can't be considered until there is a new labor agreement, which won't happen at least until the second half of the season.
White, 60, intends to retire from baseball and return to his home in Pennsylvania. Two years ago, he expressed frustration at his experience as league president, saying: "I deal with people now who I know are racists and bigots. . . . I'm bitter. I'm mad."
White, who has refused most requests to talk to reporters during his 4-year, 11-month term, refused to comment Tuesday on his tenure as NL president, which followed successful careers as a player and broadcaster.
"It's Len's day," he said.
Coleman worked in New Jersey state government for six years during the 1980s and then became a finance banker for the firm Kidder, Peabody & Co. from 1988-92. He pledged to be more open than his predecessor.
"I think every person has to be their own individual person," Coleman said. "I intend on being open and having communication with the media."
Coleman, the 14th NL president since the league was formed in 1876, was hired by then-commissioner Fay Vincent in December 1991 as baseball attempted to increase its low fan base among minorities.
\ ANOTHER STRIKE?: Negotiations on a labor agreement apparently will be difficult, and a strike later in the season is a real possibility, players union chief Don Fehr said. Fehr made his comments as he began his 28-team tour of spring training camps, meeting for nearly two hours with the Montreal Expos.
In the meeting, Fehr said he reviewed what has happened the past couple of years, discussed the new television contract, antitrust hearings, revenue sharing and the lack of a commissioner. Lesser issues such as licensing and pensions also were discussed.
"What we know is that a year ago the owners reopened the agreement and set the stage for bargaining," Fehr said. "We haven't had a proposal yet and it'll be sometime after March 7 before we get outlines from [owners' representative] Dick Ravitch. So we really don't know what is at issue."
The two sides haven't met formally since Jan. 25, 1993. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday in Tampa, Fla.
by CNB