Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, September 16, 1994                   TAG: 9409160058
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Mo.
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

ROYALS FIRE HAL MCRAE AS MANAGER TO MAKE WAY FOR YOUTH

They can cancel the World Series, but they can't stop managers from getting fired.

Hal McRae, one of five black field bosses in the major leagues, was fired by the Kansas City Royals on Thursday because the team says it's going to have a lot of young players next year.

McRae, 49, was one of the most popular players in team history, but his managerial tenure was marred by several public relations calamities that required public apologies from the club.

General manager Herk Robinson made the announcement from the same podium at Kauffman Stadium where the day before he and CEO David Glass had discussed the canceling of the rest of the season.

``Today may be equally as difficult for me,'' Robinson said. ``To come straight to the point ... it's because as we look down the road with our club in 1995 and beyond, we see an influx of younger players who will join our veteran players to be a competitive club.''

Taking over from the fired John Wathan in May 1991 with no previous experience, McRae was 286-277, including a 14-game winning streak that put the Royals in contention in the American League Central this year.

``I want to thank Herk and the late Mr. Kauffman for giving me the opportunity to manage,'' McRae told The Associated Press from his home in Bradenton, Fla. ``I'm a better person because I've managed. I believe I improved as a manager.''

Robinson, who put up with criticism in 1991 for hiring the inexperienced McRae, was full of praise for his old friend. He said the embarrassing incidents, including last year when a sportswriter was inadvertently cut on the cheek, had nothing to do his decision.

``I think Hal has done everything possible with the club he had,'' Robinson said. ``He's done a good job. But as we move forward we feel we can find a manager who can better lead us into the next several years with the younger players.''

Coaches Lee May, Bruce Kison, Steve Boros, Glenn Ezell and Jamie Quirk also were released, although Kison and Quirk are expected to stay.

Robinson said he didn't have any specific candidate in mind to replace McRae. George Brett, the team vice president, said he wouldn't be interested.

Brett, who played with McRae for most of his 20-year Royals career and formed a close friendship, flanked Robinson at the news conference and said the situation for him was ``very awkward.''

``To be in the decision-making process that determines his future is very difficult when you admire someone as much as I admire him,'' Brett said.

``I think it's something he sort of expected,'' said Brian McRae, the Royals' center fielder and the manager's son.

The 14-game winning streak, second-longest in team history, left the team four games behind Chicago in the AL Central race when the strike stopped play.

Keywords:
BASEBALL