[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 111 (Thursday, August 11, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 11, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
  GREED IN PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL CAUSES FANS AND EMPLOYEES TO LOSE OUT

  (Mr. MORAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow one of the most exciting baseball 
seasons in recent memory will come to an end. Teams like the Cleveland 
Indians and the Houston Astros, the Montreal Expos and the Colorado 
Rockies, teams that nobody thought would ever have a chance of getting 
to the pennant, have actually had a terrific season. Kenny Griffin, 
Jr., Matt Williams, even have a chance to break Roger Maris' home run 
record.
  Yet, Mr. Speaker, none of that will happen, primarily because of 
greed. The Red Sox even have a chance for their August spurt, only to 
be crashed in September, but we have to ask ourselves why.
  Mr. Speaker, major league baseball players average a $1.2 million 
salary a year. In fact, their salaries have increased 1,600 percent 
over the last 17 years. The owners say half the teams are losing money, 
but they will not even open their books. Attendance is way up. We 
should make it clear to the owners and the players that a lot more 
people are going to lose from this strike than can gain anything from 
it.
  Mr. Speaker, all the people who work at minimum wage jobs are going 
to lose their jobs, but most importantly, the biggest price to be paid 
will be with the fans, whose loyalty cannot be sustained when they pull 
this eight times in 20 years.

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