Reports of Rowdiness Exaggerated, Reds Say

Cincinnati Manager Pete Rose and his players claimed reports of their rowdy behavior on a airplane were exaggerated, while team owner Marge Schott said the alleged conduct was inexcusable.

Continental Airlines officials said the Reds threw food, tore up aircraft safety cards, grabbed stewardesses and cussed stewards during a flight from San Francisco to Houston Wednesday night.

“My God, I certainly hope a lot of this is not true,” Schott said Saturday. “There is no excuse for behavior like that. It’s ridiculous.

“This is the last thing people expect from the Reds. People don’t want to hear things like this. Little kids look up to these guys. They are supposed to be setting an example, not doing something like this.”

Said the Reds’ Tom Browning: “We probably didn’t behave in the best manner, but it was not to the point where we were out of control.”

Browning described service by the plane’s crew as “terrible.”

“Trays were not being picked up,” he said. “They were very rude when they did pick them up.”

Said Rose: “Nobody did anything. We were not rowdy. The only time I saw anyone lay his hands on a stewardess was when he put his hands on her hips to move her aside so he could walk down the aisle.”