Coaches’ Boycott Spurs Cancellation of All 12 City 4-A Baseball Games

All 12 City Section baseball games involving 4-A Division teams were canceled Tuesday because of a coaches’ boycott being conducted as part of the teachers’ strike against the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Each cancellation was decided independently, according to Commissioner Hal Harkness of the City Section. He said that his office had issued no directive about the games.

Tuesday’s cancellations marked the end of the regular season. The 18 4-A Division coaches whose teams have qualified for the playoffs have pledged to boycott postseason play as well. The playoffs are scheduled to run May 24 to June 1.

If the strike continues and no teams participate when the playoff dates arrive, the season will be canceled, Harkness said.

The 4-A coaches have boycotted despite a recommendation last week by the Los Angeles City Coaches Assn. that would allow coaches who honor picket lines to continue to direct their teams after school. Postseason contests involving golf and volleyball teams were played as scheduled Tuesday, and no interruption of this week’s postseason softball, track and swimming is planned.

Bob Lofrano, Chatsworth High baseball coach, said he was gratified that his colleagues had honored their pledge to boycott and said that he had resigned as vice president of the coaches’ association and given up his position on the City’s Interscholastic Athletics Committee.