Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 5, 1994 TAG: 9402050136
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
All the required paperwork from the hopeful buyers of the two clubs is in hand and a background check of the buyers should be under way soon, Hopkins said. The check is expected to take a couple of weeks. After that, league law requires 15 days' notice to call a meeting.
A group headed by Eric Margenau of New York wants to buy the Bucs from Kelvin Bowles. Partners North Johnson and Cam McRae of Kinston hope to buy the Indians from Tuck Tucker of Atlanta.
The sale of a team is subject to approval of the league, the National Association of Professional Baseball Clubs and Major League Baseball.
In Salem, meanwhile, assistant city manager Forest Jones said he has finished checking into Margenau's references and expects to deliver an oral report to City Council at its next scheduled meeting Feb. 14.
"Everything has been positive," Jones said of what he's heard.
Among those who Jones checked with were the mayors of Columbia, S.C., and Fort Wayne, Ind., - where Margenau operates other baseball teams - as well as South Atlantic League president John Moss and Midwest League boss John Spelius. Margenau's Capital City Bombers are in the Class A Sally League and his Fort Wayne Wizards are in the Class A Midwest League.
At its least meeting, council refused to grant a transfer of the Municipal Field lease from Bowles to Margenau until Jones could put together his report.
Margenau has not been idle as he awaited word on the approval of the sale. He now has a minority interest in a group that has made a down payment on a franchise fee for an East Coast Hockey League expansion team in Columbia, S.C., ECHL commissioner Pat Kelly said. That team is expected to join the ECHL for the 1995-96 season.
Keywords:
BASEBALL
by CNB