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

DATE: TUESDAY, May 2, 1995                   TAG: 9505020104
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

OATES BACK IN THE SADDLE WITH RANGERS

Johnny Oates returned from a leave of absence four days earlier than planned and managed his first regular-season game for the Texas Rangers on Monday night against the Seattle Mariners in Arlington, Texas.

Oates, a Virginia Tech alumnus, left the Rangers during spring training to be with his wife, Gloria, who was suffering from exhaustion. He was granted a leave of absence of up to two weeks.

The Rangers won two of five games under interim manager Jerry Narron, but lost Oates' debut 4-1 to the Mariners.

Oates was expected to join the team in Oakland, Calif., Friday for the start of a seven-game trip. But Oates said his wife recovered faster than anticipated and the family agreed he should return to his job.

``Things on the home front are much better,'' Oates, 49, said before Monday's game. ``Now I can devote 100 percent to baseball. I don't foresee missing a beat. That's the reason we took two weeks, so that when I came back everything would be OK. I'm here with the intention of staying, hopefully for a long time.''

Oates, who managed the Baltimore Orioles from 1991-94, said the Rangers understood the importance he placed on his family's well-being.

``You have to do what you have to do, and I'm glad I did what I did,'' said Oates, who has refused to elaborate on his wife's condition other than to say that she is feeling better. ``I feel much better now because of it. I'm thankful to the whole organization for their support.''

by CNB