Umpires, Owners Can’t Agree Who Will Arbitrate Dispute

The agreement to return major league umpires to exhibition baseball games fell apart Wednesday when the umpires and management could not agree on an arbitrator.

Originally, Judge Stanley Greenberg was to consider the umpires’ protest over the rescheduling of games without their input following the end of the spring training lockout.

But management went to U.S. District Court Wednesday, asking Judge Norma Shapiro to disqualify Greenberg for undisclosed reasons. Judge Shapiro refused the request and when the two sides went back before Greenberg, he disqualified himself at management’s request.

That sent the two sides back before Shapiro, who tried to get them to agree to another arbitrator. Among the names suggested were former Commissioner Peter Ueberroth and former Vice President Walter Mondale, but the two sides could not agree.

The umpires and baseball are due back in Shapiro’s courtroom today, when management will pursue its request for a preliminary injunction to prevent the work stoppage.