ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Sunday, May 19, 1996                   TAG: 9605200088
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: C-1  EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
DATELINE: NEW YORK
SOURCE: Associated Press
MEMO: NOTE: Shorter version ran in Metro edition.


SCHOTT UNDER SCRUTINY

SOURCES SAY SOME baseball officials want the Cincinnati Reds owner to leave her post for the good of the sport.

When Marge Schott says people are trying to force her out as owner of the Cincinnati Reds, she might be right. Only it's not someone who wants to buy the team, it's other owners and top baseball officials.

Acting commissioner Bud Selig and NL president Len Coleman prefer that Schott step back from day-to-day operation of the Reds, two high-ranking baseball officials said this week, speaking on condition they not be identified.

Even before her controversial remarks this month to ESPN and Sports Illustrated, according to the officials, major league baseball was concerned with the way Schott was operating the Reds, especially her cutbacks in baseball operations and marketing. Baseball officials thought the empty seats in Cincinnati during last year's playoffs underscored that she was hurting the sport's bottom line.

Schott has until Monday to respond to a letter from Coleman in which he expressed grave concern over Schott's management of the Reds. Schott was sent the letter after her interview with ESPN, Reds spokesman Charles Henderson said.

``She was invited to submit any response to the National League,'' Henderson said. ``This is not mandatory.''

Schott did not return a call to her office.

While current owners refused to be quoted about one of their colleagues, several past owners were willing to discuss Schott.

``I hope somebody will urge her to get psychiatric help to get over the notion why she doesn't like certain people and acts the way she does,'' former Orioles owner Jerry Hoffberger said.

``I wonder if she has the intelligence to be an owner, to decipher what's right and wrong,'' former Minnesota Twins owner Calvin Griffith said. ``I don't know what baseball can do about her. She should be stifled for the good of the game.''

Selig is continuing his investigation into Schott following her recent remarks about Adolf Hitler and Asian-Americans. While Selig won't say anything publicly, he is known to be angry that Schott has disrupted baseball's attempts to repair its image following the strike.

Schott declined to comment Thursday on possible moves against her and on criticism that followed her recent interviews.

``When she starts desecrating not only the establishment of baseball, but dishonoring entire races and nationalities, it's time for the dog lady to be removed once and for all from this game,'' said agent Tom Reich, who represents Reds players Jose Rijo, Hal Morris and Hector Carrasco. ``She brings disgrace to a good city and a historic franchise, and has no redeeming qualities.''

Coleman and Selig are talking to each other about Schott almost daily.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Schott was quoted as saying, ``I think somebody is trying to get me out, honey, somebody that wants to buy the team.''

Baseball's lawyers are investigating ways of acting against Schott, according to several baseball officials.

The NL constitution gives Coleman ``power to suspend for a definite period and to impose a fine upon any manager, player, umpire or club officer or employee guilty, in public, of gross misbehavior, including intoxication, fighting, quarreling, indecency or other scandalous conduct, whether on or off the playing field, when such conduct is, in the president's opinion, calculated to bring disrepute upon the league or the game of professional baseball.''

Baseball's ruling executive council - eight owners and the league presidents - has the power to take action against conduct deemed ``not to be in the best interests of baseball.'' The penalty may include ``suspension or removal of any officer or employee of a major league or a major league club.''

Only twice have baseball officials forced an owner to sell. Philadelphia Phillies owner William Cox was told to get out in 1943 after commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis found he had placed 15 to 20 small bets on his team to win.

In 1953, commissioner Ford Frick informally ordered Fred Saigh to sell the St.Louis Cardinals after Saigh was sentenced to 15 months in prison for a no-contest plea to a tax-evasion charge.


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