Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, July 9, 1994 TAG: 9407090011
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Jack Bogaczyk
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Costas hasn't called a network game since 1989, but he said he was ready to work with Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan and "Mr. Baseball," Bob Uecker.
"I've been practicing by watching tapes of the 1975 World Series and `Mr. Belvedere,' " Costas said in a conference call with his partners a few days ago.
The All-Star Game, at Pittsburgh on Tuesday (8 p.m., WSLS) begins The Baseball Network's production of the national pastime. The network, a joint effort of Baseball, ABC and NBC, begins its regular-season package with regional games Friday night on ABC.
Costas and Uecker are NBC's lead team when it takes over "Baseball Night in America" in late August, while Morgan will work with Dick Enberg. Viewers also will see club announcers on the regional schedule, such as the Ken Wilson-Bert Blyleven teaming for the Baltimore-California game that begins ABC's games in the Roanoke-Lynchburg market on Friday (8 p.m., WSET).
Costas, Uecker and Morgan ON THE AIR JACK BOGACZYK promise to make the All-Star telecast informative and fun, something Uecker - a Milwaukee broadcaster and one of the game's true funny men - says is in short supply in the sport these days.
"I don't see guys hanging around the clubhouse much like we used to," said Uecker, a catcher who used his .200 career batting average to become a star off the field. "I think humor is frowned upon today. Everyone carries a briefcase, although I'm not sure what's in those briefcases.
"Hey, I'd be making a million bucks if I were playing today - and that's scary."
All three broadcasters expect a players' strike before the end of the season, and Morgan, in his fifth season as ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" analyst, said it isn't likely the owners and players can reach agreement on a Basic Agreement before the earliest rumored strike date of Aug. 16.
"The question is would both sides rather have a strike or settle it properly," Morgan said. "There's no reason they can't agree to keep negotiating [without the owners imposing a salary cap during the off-season] and get it settled next year.
"Then, don't wait until this time next year to do it," Morgan said.
"That's been the problem in the past strikes," Uecker said. "The sides have never sat down ahead of time and tried to work it out. It's `Bang,' they're gone, see you later."
Uecker recalled that the players' pension was a subject of past negotiations.
"I went to check my pension the other day," Uecker said, "and I owe."
"As well you should," Costas said.
\ HARRY NIGHT: The best baseball show during the All-Star break might not be Tuesday's game. It will be difficult to top Monday night's two-hour WGN special on the life of broadcasting legend Harry Caray.
The 8 p.m. show, hosted by NBC's Costas, looks at Caray's life from his days in a St. Louis orphanage through the Hall of Fame broadcaster's 50 years in the booth. "When Harry Met Baseball" should be very entertaining.
\ HEAD COUNT: If you think the Bobbing Head Baseball Dolls are multiplying on those ESPN promos, you're right. The concept and spots are some of the best the cable network has used in its 14-plus years on the air. They were created by the cable network's advertising agency, Wieden & Kennedy.
"Bobbing Head Dolls represent an instant symbol that baseball fans can identify with," said Larry Frye, a creative director at Wieden & Kennedy. "Besides, we were looking for actors who wouldn't talk back."
The "doubleheader" spot - a two-headed doll - is a favorite of many viewers. "Bobbing head dolls are a baseball icon," said Trez Bayer, ESPN's director of on-air promotions, which by the end of the season will air more than 30 different head spots.
\ TOO QUICK: Baseball's desire to appeal to the MTV generation has gone too far in Seattle. Then, what would you expect from a club owned by Nintendo?
KSTW is taking Mariners' games and editing them into 48-minute shows for taped prime-time telecasts, with 12 minutes of commercials. Every pitch and hit are on each telecast. The time between pitches and between innings is trimmed for "Mariners' Fast Forward."
In recent years, U.S. baseball has been edited this way for telecast in Japan and Europe. The way the game is going, with regional telecasts of the new playoffs and league championship series, the club owners may try this next.
\ GUMBEL INDOORS: Greg Gumbel may have switched networks, but he's keeping a familiar role. After several years of hosting "The NFL Today" on CBS, he's replacing Jim Lampley as the NBC studio host of "NFL Live."
Gumbel, who also will host NBC's prime-time baseball studio for the All-Star Game and the last six weeks of the regular season, will team with Mike Ditka, Joe Gibbs and Will McDonough on the show. Lampley will work regional NFL games and remain as the network's golf anchor.
NBC executives are not commenting on O.J. Simpson's future as a reporter for "NFL Live." Where Simpson's absence could really hurt the network is in lining up player interviews. Players who may be reluctant to talk to reporters who haven't played the game always opened up to Simpson.
by CNB