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

DATE: TUESDAY, May 2, 1995                   TAG: 9505020136
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NEW YORK                                LENGTH: Medium

UMPIRES, OWNERS PLAY BALL AT LAST

The regular umpires will return to the field Wednesday. The agreement means the end of picket lines outside big-league stadiums and removes the prospect of a showdown May 9, when replacement umpires no longer would be allowed to work in Toronto.

``Their scab strategy was exposed for what it was - a fraud,'' said Richie Phillips, head of the umpires' union. ``These people were incapable of officiating at a major-league level.''

Rookie umpires get raises this year of 25 percent, and the most senior umpire gets a raise that could be as much as 37.5 percent. Because the contract is front-loaded and pay will remain the same during the length of the agreement, management calculated the salary increase at 16 percent over the five years. The base salary for most umpires will increase by $20,000.

The deal was agreed to at 12:30 a.m. Monday and approved 9-0 by the umpires' board at about 6:30 a.m. Jerry Crawford, president of the umpires' union, said a majority of umpires already had said they would vote to ratify the deal.

Replacement umpires will have worked the first eight days of the season and - barring rainouts - the first 86 games. The regular umpires will be paid 100 percent of their 1995 salaries.

``Major-league baseball is now finally safe at home,'' said Len Coleman, the National League president.

A planned demonstration by regular umpires in Baltimore on Monday was canceled. Players, who struck for 232 days before a federal judge ordered owners to follow the rules of their expired deal, were relieved to hear the regular umpires are returning.

``Everything will be back to normal,'' said Orioles catcher Chris Hoiles.