Vancouver Players, Protesting Slow Pay by Parent White Sox, Don’t Play

The Vancouver Canadians, citing what they said was a consistent policy of late salary payments by the parent Chicago White Sox, refused to play a scheduled Pacific Coast League game Thursday night.

The players left the Albuquerque Sports Stadium about 90 minutes before the scheduled 7 p.m., MDT, start of the game against Albuquerque and returned to their hotel, then went into a meeting.

“We have players with wives and babies back home, and if they don’t have the rent and grocery money, they’re in trouble,” infielder Jeff Schaefer said. “We have obligations to meet just like everyone else.”

The players issued a handwritten statement, which said in part: “The reason for the walkout is delinquent salary payments out of Chicago. We have in the past tried to resolve this issue through complaints to management and the Major League Players organization.”

Brent Imlach, vice president and general manager of the Canadians, said in a telephone interview from Vancouver that the checks, due June 30, had been mailed but apparently had been delayed in getting to the team because of the July 4 holiday.

“My understanding is that they were sent Friday,” Imlach said. “The checks were sent out when they were supposed to be sent out” from Chicago.

The players, however, said this episode is nothing new.

“It has occurred for the past two seasons,” Schaefer said.

The players said they would meet again today but indicated they would play the final game in the series against Albuquerque if the checks arrived.

The umpiring crew declared the game a 9-0 forfeit victory for Albuquerque.