---

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

DATE: MONDAY, February 17, 1992                   TAG: 9202170172
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: PORTLAND, ORE.                                LENGTH: Short

---

ORE. PAPER AXES SOME NICKNAMES

Readers of The Oregonian learned Sunday that Deion Sanders was leaning toward a full-time career in baseball. But they didn't learn the nickname of the baseball team he plays for.

Oregon's largest newspaper has stopped using nicknames to refer to sports teams called the Braves, the Redskins, the Indians and the Redmen.

The Oregonian's story about Sanders referred to the Braves as "National League champion Atlanta," or "the baseball team."

The newspaper announced the change in a statement from Editor William Hilliard published on the sports page.

Hilliard informed the newspaper's staff of the new policy in a memo Friday.

"I have directed this action with the belief that these names tend to perpetuate stereotypes that damage the dignity and self-respect of many people in our society and that this harm far transcends any innocent entertainment or promotional value these names may have," he wrote.

Managing Editor Peter Thompson said Saturday that staff discussions during the World Series led The Oregonian to decide it would stop using team nicknames that offend racial, religious or ethnic groups.

"We do not expect the rest of the journalistic world to fall into line behind us, nor do we presume that our action will change any team names," Thompson said in a statement.

So far, the policy has been limited to the four nicknames. Associated

Press

---