As the Reds enter the month of September, they find themselves in the thick of the pennant race for the first time since 1999. But if you went down to the stadium to catch a game, judging by the attendance you’d never know it. Meanwhile, an exhibition softball game at the same stadium starring (among others) Cincinnati legend Pete Rose sells out in roughly 2 ½ hours. That is faster than many baseball teams can sell out their home openers. Aside from letting everyone know how much fans want to see Pete, this is a very bad sign for baseball.

    Ever since the 1994 strike that cancelled the World Series and nearly killed the sport, baseball has struggled to regain lost fans and find new ones. From 1997-2001, average attendance for Major League Baseball games slowly rose from 28,276 per game to 30,012 per game, not far from the record average of 31,612 in 1994. This season however, attendance is down to a mere 27, 812 per contest. It is apparent that something has happened this season that has alienated many fans almost to the point of no return.

    No, we are not talking about juiced baseballs, juiced players, or even the All-Star Game fiasco in Milwaukee, but something far more devastating to the sport. Baseball appears to be heading toward its ninth “work” stoppage since 1972. Despite the dire predictions of MLB commissioner Bud Selig (who for once in his career may be making sense, if only partially), most players do not seem concerned about the prospect of another strike. Guys like Barry Bonds have gone on record saying they are not worried, because the fans always seem to come back after every stoppage. “Always have, always will,” they say. But even if that has been the case in the past, I really think this time is different.

    Earlier this season, Reds GM Jim Bowden landed himself in hot water by saying that if the players do go on strike, they should just be symbolic and choose September 11th as the strike date. He went on to make the analogy, "If they do walk out, make sure it's Sept. 11…... Let Donald Fehr drive the plane right into the building, if that's what they want to do.'' While the statement may have been in poor taste (just as calling someone a “cancer in the clubhouse” or describing a game as a “war” would be in poor taste) the analogy is right on the money. Another labor dispute like the one we saw in 1994 would be a cataclysmic, devastating, and destructive event for professional baseball that would change the game (and the way we look at it) forever.

    At a time when unemployment rates are high, people are losing jobs in every industry due to a slumping U.S. economy, and the political landscape of countries on the other side of the world impacts our everyday life, no one wants to hear millionaires and billionaires fighting over who gets more money. Not while many of our nations elderly veterans cannot even afford to eat decent food because their medications cost so much do we care to hear this nonsense. In fact, it really turns me off completely, as I’m sure it does most of you.

    I’m not too sure that the owners and players have a real understanding of the financial problems the rest of America is facing, but I am fairly certain that if baseball players do go on strike again, or the owners start a lockout after the season is over, you won’t see fans rushing back to the game anytime soon. Not this time. A “work” stoppage right now would destroy any remaining interest most people (like me, for instance) still have in the game.

    The reasons for this are simple enough. Baseball fans are sick and tired of being subjected to this constant petty bickering between the owners and players. I'm personally convinced that most major league ball players could be given their own Jumbo Jets packed with $100 bills, and they still would not be happy. I also believe that you could guarantee sellouts to most team owners, and they would still complain about needing new stadiums and how high the players' salaries are, even though they are the very ones willingly paying these guys so much money. It’s just not worth caring about anymore.

    Consider this: In 1976, the average salary for a major-league ballplayer was $51,000. This season, the minimum salary is $200,000. Right now, the average salary of a major-league baseball player is more than $2.2 million a year. More than 420 players started last season earning more than $1 million a year, the highest paid of which is Texas Rangers shortstop Alex Rodriguez, who makes an astonishing $25 million a year. We should all have such problems.

    When you take a look at both sides of the issue, you can quickly see how things have gotten so bad. On one hand, you have a group of owners (led by a commissioner whose own team is the prototype for poorly run franchises of any sport) whose idea of giving back to the community is agreeing not to move their teams only if the communities pay for their new stadiums. On the other hand, you have a bunch of greedy, arrogant ballplayers who seem to have even less regard for the general public than the owners do. It is really difficult to justify supporting these types of people anymore, at least for me. And I know I’m not alone.

    No wonder the fans will flock to Riverfront Stadium one more time on Sept. 23rd to pay tribute to their heroes from the 70’s and 80’s. Back then, the game still meant something to them. Today, they just don't seem to care anymore.

    Who can blame them?
 

Visit our Pete Rose tribute page to vote for Pete breaking Ty Cobb's all time hits record as one of Baseball's Most Memorable Moments.....winning moments will be honored during this year's World Series!!!

Click here to find out about the future home of the Reds, Great American Ballpark, due to open in 2003

Other Reds Sites

· www.cincinnatireds.com
· The Sporting News
· Cincinnati Enquirer
· Cincinnati Post
· majorleaguebaseball.com
· ESPN.com
· Fastball
· USA Today
· Minor league affiliates