The Prince George Citizen - Wednesday, December 2,1992 - 19 Craig fired baseball’s executive council checking outschott from Giants SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The San Francisco Giants are going in a new direction that doesn’t include Roger Craig. The fourth-winningest manager in club history was swept aside as the franchise’s new owners seek to rejuvenate the team’s flagging fortunes. New general manager Bob Quinn said he will begin searching for Craig’s replacement immediately. Quinn’s hiring and Craig’s firing were announced Tuesday by Peter Magowan, head of the group that has agreed to purchase the Giants. The $ 100-million sale hasn’t been approved by baseball owners yet, but the new group is moving swiftly to put its stamp on the Giants. “This organization does a lot of things right, but there is an opportunity to go in a different direction,’’ Magowan said. “I think it’s easier to go in different directions with a new management team. “We have new owners, a new general manager, and I think it’s logical to put in a new field manager as well.’’ Giants coach Dusty Baker will be interviewed for the job, and Quinn also mentioned he had drawn up a short list of candidates already with other organizations. “Naturally, you’d like to have (a manager) by the winter meetings, but I’m not going to set that kind of timetable because I want to be as thorough in this process as the ownership team was (in selecting a general manager),” Quinn said. Craig, 62, took over the Giants in September 1985 and led them to a division title in 1989 and a league title the following year. But he went 146-175 his last two seasons, including 72-90 last season, and seemed wearied by the job. With a year remaining on his contract, Craig will be offered another job within the Giants organization, Magowan said. “He was extremely gracious,” said Magowan, who informed Craig of his decision Monday night. “You could not have asked for a better response from somebody who’s obviously been in an extremely difficult position, not knowing what his fate would be.” Meanwhile, Quinn will be asked to duplicate his success with Cincinnati, a team that won a World Series title in 1990 less than a year after he became general manager. Quinn, who spent three seasons with the Reds, was fired shortly after this season by controversial team owner Marge Schott. It won’t be easy, though. He has barely a week to prepare for baseball’s winter meetings next week in Louisville, Ky. Quinn’s immediate concerns are pitching and the outfield, but he sounded reluctant to chase any premier free agents. “We would first want to look at and evaluate the free agents off the San Francisco roster,” said Quinn, adding he was “grossly disappointed” to lose outfielder Mike Felder to the Seattle Mariners. Alleged remarks to be investigated by RONALD BLUM Associated Press NEW YORK — Baseball’s executive council appointed a committee today to investigate the alleged racial and ethnic remarks attributed to Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott. The announcement of the committee’s formation came after council members talked for about an hour on a conference call. Bud Selig of the Milwaukee Brewers, chairman of the executive council, said the committee would report its findings to the council. “The committee has been asked to conduct its investigation thoroughly and with all appropriate dispatch,” a release from major league baseball said. The committee consists of American League president Dr. Bobby Brown, National League president Bill White, Jackie Autry of the California Angels and Doug Danforth of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Amid calls for her ouster, Schott denied Monday that she made racist remarks attributed to her by a former baseball employee. As the rhetoric escalated, Hank Aaron and several civil rights leaders said Schott should be kicked out of baseball. Benjamin L. Hooks, executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said Schott should withdraw from the Reds’ operations. Rev. Jesse Jackson, meanwhile, was scheduling a rally against Schott for baseball’s winter meetings next week in Louisville, Ky. Rev. Al Sharpton held a news conference outside the commissioner’s office and called on players to boycott Riverfront Stadium while Schott owns the Reds. “My actions as president and CEO of the Reds are an open book,” Schott said in a four-paragraph statement. “They belie any charges of discrimination. I have nothing to hide.” Sharon Jones, a former employee of the Oakland Athletics, said last week that Schoa said, “I’d rather have a trained monkey working for me than a nigger.” Jones said she believed the remark was made in 1988 prior to a conference call held by then-commissioner Peter Ueberroth. "Whenever the alleged conversation took place, I did not make the comments Ms. Jones has attributed to me,” Schott said. “I would not make such comments. They are nonsense in more ways than the bigotry they represent. “For example, Ms. Jones reportedly alleges I made certain remarks about a black male working in the Reds' mail room. In fact, the only employee we have had in the Reds’ mail room since I have been president and CEO has been a woman. I do not remember anyone making those comments during the conference call, nor do my secretary or other owners I have spoken with.” Some officials speculated the executive council would call for an investigation. The 11-member executive council, led by Mil-* waukee owner Bud Selig, assumed the commissioner’s power following Fay Vincent’s resignation on Sept. 7. Telephone calls placed today to Schott’s office and home were not returned. NFL players ignore the fear Vancouver indy joes ahead by Associated Press It is the code by which they live, by which they play and, sometimes, by which they are struck down. On Sunday, Dennis Byrd of the New York Jets, going all-out as he always does, broke a vertebra in his neck. Now, he lies in a hospital bed unable to move his legs and with only partial movement in his arms. “I like to play this game,” said Mario Johnson, who replaced Byrd on the defensive line in the game against Kansas City. “Dennis likes to play football. We risk our lives. We could be vegetables. Sometimes I’m so sore I can’t touch my wife; sometimes my wife can’t touch me. “I’m not saying people shouldn’t play football. We’re like stunt people: we do crazy things. It excites us. This excites me. I’m out here doing it because I like it. “I risk my life every day. That’s what I do.” That’s what they all do. If they didn’t, they couldn’t survive in the smash-and-crash world of professional football. “You have so much love for the game, you live in denial,” Detroit Lions defensive lineman Marc Spindler said. “You just keep denying that it can ever happen to you. “Even if it happens to someone you don’t know, you feel terrible. We are all part of one big fraternity.” The Lions, more than any other team, had cause to pase and reflect on Monday. In a game last season, offensive tackle Mike Utley sliatlered a vertebra in his neck and is paralyzed from the waist down. “After this, you have to think about it, but it is better for you if you don’t,” Detroit wide receiver Willie Green said. “The risks in this game arc real high, and there is no way to protect yourself. You can run, but you can’t hide. If it is going to happen, it will happen, and it will happen for a reason.” Some players, who are financially secure or who have other careers, continue to play anyway. And they continue to recognize and ignore the fear factor. Centre Bart Oates of the New York Giants is in his eighth NFL season. He has a law degree and could open a practice any time. But there he is, from July until Christmas, snapping the ball and blocking, accepting the dangers of the profession. “You live with it. When you play ball for any length of time, these are risks you learn to accept,” Oates said. “You can’t let them bother you. You have to go out and play at 110 per cent with absolutely no concern for your own personal safety, because once you start worrying about that, once that becomes a priority, then you arc priming yourself for injury.” Trea Southerland, a senior safety at the University of Mississippi, wears No. 38 this season in honor of Chucky Mullins, who wore that number before he was paralyzed making a tackle against Vanderbilt in October 1989. Mullins later died of complications from the injury. “It’s kind of intimidating,” Southerland said. “It’s something I think about all the time, but that’s a risk you take, and you just hope the good Lord protects you against it “I don’t think people should not play because they’re scared of getting hurt. You could be walking to class and get hit by a car. If you go out there scared, your chances of getting hurt are a lot better.” So you play hard, you play hurt and, it seems, you play with fate. But it has happened to NFL players through the years, with the two frightening incidents involving Utley and Byrd so vivid that they have to strike doubt and fear in some players. Sp. ellbmnd Fantasy Show Club OPEN Daily 11:30 a.m. -1 a.m. 7th and Quebec Don’t they? “Anytime you play football, you’re vulnerable to injury and all the guys know the risks you take,” said Bears receiver Glen Koz-lowski, a regular on special teams. “Once I’m into the game, all I want to do is make the play.” Which is all Dennis Byrd ever wanted to do. VANCOUVER (CP) — City council voted Tuesday to give organizers of the Vancouver Molson Indy auto race permission to stage it through 1995. The four members of the Committee of Progressive Electors tried to convince the rest of council to halt the race, arguing it is bad for the environment, the neighborhoods and the city at large. But the seven Non-Partisan Association members, led by Mayor Gordon Campbell, said their colleagues don’t know how good the race is for the local economy and indicated they are tired of opposition to the race. “The Molson Indy has become an annual event and so has this debate around it,” said Coun. Don Bellamy. BUY ONE AT 1/2 PRICE Silverguard ST quality radial tires for all kinds of weather. Tough polyester cord body with two impact resistant steel belts provide a smooth ride. Durable tread for long-lasting safety. For safely, do not mix radial tires with other tire types fComplete details at Sears SAVE $10 Diehard1* Gold™. Our most powerful battery. Max. power flow. Sears reg. 119.99. 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