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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxn!ihnp4!gargoyle!sphinx!wimp
From: wimp@sphinx.UChicago.UUCP (Jeff Haferman)
Newsgroups: net.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Impending Strike (in defense of the players)
Message-ID: <938@sphinx.UChicago.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 4-Aug-85 18:29:16 EDT
Article-I.D.: sphinx.938
Posted: Sun Aug  4 18:29:16 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 5-Aug-85 08:11:23 EDT
References: <693@spuxll.UUCP> <375@uvaee.UUCP>, <714@fisher.UUCP>, <702@spuxll.UUCP>
Organization: U. Chicago - Computation Center
Lines: 29


> The last owner who actually made his livelihood from baseball -- 
> Calvin Griffin -- left years ago, driven out by -- you guessed it -- 
> free agency and escalating salary costs.


Actually, Griffith (not Griffin) sold the Twins in the spring of '84 to
Carl Pohlad.  Griffith still is somewhat active in the organization,  though
he is keeping a lower profile than when he owned the team.  

Also,  I don't know how accurate it is to say that he was driven out by
free agency and escalating salary costs.  Indirectly, I suppose, this is true.
In my opinion, Griffith was driven out by the harsh criticisms of the press.

Griffith remained tough when the Steinbrenners and the Turners of Baseball
came around with their big bucks.  TRUE, the Twins haven't been much of a
threat the last few years,  but there are quality ball-players on the team
now, and there are many, many players in the Majors who were brought up in the
Griffith oraganization.  

Ahhh, the days I spent in the old Met, watching the likes of Killebrew, Carew,
Darwin, Kaat, Oliva, Blyleven (somehow he made it back)...
Tailgating in the parking lot...

Yes, I liked the ownership of the Twins under Griffith and it's a shame
that baseball is being ruined for the love of money...


Jeff Haferman