Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 1, 1993 TAG: 9303010032
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
BASEBALL SAYS HELLO GEORGE, GOODBYE MARGE
One owner's exile from baseball ends today, but another's begins.George Steinbrenner's 30-month suspension elapsed Sunday night, and he was expected to show up at the New York Yankees' camp at Fort Lauderdale, Fla., this morning.
Marge Schott, meanwhile, began a one-year suspension for using racial and ethnic slurs. She is barred from going on the field or into the clubhouse and can't enter the Cincinnati Reds' offices at Riverfront Stadium.
Steinbrenner wasn't planning on wasting any time making his presence felt as the Yankees' hands-on owner. At 12:01 a.m. Monday, he was scheduled to do a two-hour interview - interspersed with phone calls from fans - on New York's all-sports radio station.
In a flurry of media interviews last week, Steinbrenner predicted his role will be much like it was in the past - a bombastic owner who meddles in trades and signings and doesn't take losing well.
"A leopard doesn't change its spots," he said.
During his tenure, which began in January 1973, Steinbrenner changed managers 18 times, general managers 14 times and pitching coaches 31 times.
More changes could be coming soon. Steinbrenner is said to be unhappy with general manager Gene Michael and hasn't talked to Buck Showalter since he became manager last season and guided the team to a 76-86 record.
Now, after the Yankees acquired Wade Boggs, Jim Abbott, Jimmy Key, Paul O'Neill and Spike Owen during the winter, Steinbrenner will not stand the taste of defeat much longer. Especially after four straight losing seasons and an attendance drop the past three years.
Steinbrenner plans to talk to the team, which includes many players he has never met.
"I want to tell them how lucky they are," he said. "I read where IBM and Boeing let go thousands of workers. I want these players to know they're damn fortunate."
Schott signed autographs for fans, hugged players and helped children get manager Tony Perez's autograph Sunday during an hour-long visit to the team's spring training complex at Plant City, Fla..
"This is emotional to me and is like the day I left my office at Riverfront," she said. "It really got to me when I drove away. This is very tough, too, and I'm sure it will sink in soon."
Schott has turned over day-to-day decisions to general manager Jim Bowden but still can participate in major decisions with the executive council's approval.
Schott enjoys mingling with the crowd and signing autographs from her box seat during regular-season games. After the first month of the season, she can sit in the stands, but not in the owner's box.