DATE: Saturday, May 3, 1997                 TAG: 9705030441

SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   65 lines

TIDES PURCHASE FAKE SNAKES FOR RELIEF PITCH

And the winners are . . . snakes.

No, not in the latest political election, but in the enthusiastic call-in campaign experienced by the Norfolk Tides on Friday.

Noting a newspaper story about seagulls inexplicably pecking holes in the $5,000 tarpaulin that protects Harbor Park's infield from rain, about 30 Samaritans called the Triple-A baseball team with remedies for making the Tides gull-free.

Of a wide variety of suggestions, fake snakes were mentioned most often. So snakes it is.

The Tides have purchased nearly $200 worth, or 54 dozen, rubber snakes from a Rhode Island novelty company to spread about the tarp in hopes of scaring away the birds. Shipments are due in today via overnight delivery, just in time for possible showers later in the day.

Callers, beginning with the 6:45 a.m. jingle that rousted Tides general manager Dave Rosenfield from bed, checked in throughout the day with sure-fire solutions:

High-frequency sound waves, audio tapes of birds in distress, sounds of shotgun blasts, gooey stuff that sticks to bird feet, owl decoys, fishing line strung across the tarp, and netting.

``It's like how everybody has an idea of how to get rid of the common cold,'' Tides president Ken Young said.

Though inflatable or painted snakes were also suggested, the Tides went rubberized after getting a price break from the novelty company, which Young found through an ad in an amusement trade magazine.

The Tides could have picked up whoopie cushions for $2.50 a dozen or stink bombs for $3.40 per, though fake vomit wasn't price-listed.

Snakes were going for $3 a dozen, but more than a dollar was trimmed off when the Tides ordered 48 dozen 14-inch green snakes and six dozen 68-inch black snakes.

``If the snakes don't work,'' Rosenfield said, ``we'll try the tapes of birds in distress.''

Louise Hill, curator of the Virginia Zoo, hates to say it, but she thinks snakes and crying birds will just mean two strikes against the Tides.

``Tell me it's not rubber snakes,'' Hill said when told the Tides had reached a decision. ``A woman talked to me this morning for 45 minutes about rubber snakes.

``If they get enough, it might work. I'm not saying it won't, but I find it hard to believe it will. I have my doubts about both of those ideas. I wish them luck.''

The Tides might be out a fast $5,000 either way. Rosenfield said he fears the 3-year-old tarpaulin might already be too pecked over and patched up to last.

``When you put the tarp on, it's supposed to be peace of mind,'' groundskeeper Ken Magner said. ``But I'm awake at 2 a.m., knowing they're out here picking the thing apart.''

Five years ago at since-demolished Met Park, the Tides endured a similar biologically induced tarp trauma.

Mid-August rainstorms in 1992 forced the tarp to remain on the field for nearly a week. When it was removed, armies of earthworms had crawled to the surface and died, creating an unholy stink.

To the Tides, the most logical reason their tarp is back in the news is that the gulls are seeking nesting material.

Whatever the reason, Young, ever the promoter, sees possibilities.

``We could start calling the place the Snake Pit,'' Young said. ILLUSTRATION: [Color Illustration]

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