BASEBALL DAILY REPORT

Minnesota right-hander Jack Morris shook his head and smiled sadly when told that the pitcher he will oppose tonight, John Smoltz, idolized him while growing up in Detroit.

“I don’t want to hear that,” said Morris, who at 36 is 12 years older than Smoltz. “I never met him. He was in our minor leagues when I was with Detroit. He’s turned into a pretty good pitcher. I guess it’s flattering. . . . I just never thought it would happen to me.”

Smoltz said watching Morris, Lance Parrish, Dan Petry and Alan Trammell “was a big time in my life.” He added: “When I was a kid, my main concern when I was watching pitchers was watching their motion. I also just liked the way he went about his business. When he stepped on the mound he didn’t care who was there, he went right at you. That’s basically how I approach it.”

Manager Tom Kelly of the Twins said he has received many congratulatory telegrams, including messages from Angel third baseman Gary Gaetti and pitcher Bert Blyleven, both members of the Twins’ 1987 World Series championship team.

Tomahawks were very much in evidence around Atlanta, despite protests by American Indians that tomahawks promote harmful racial stereotypes. One downtown building sported a huge red tomahawk on its roof.

Demonstrations by American Indians outside the stadium before Tuesday night’s game didn’t deter fans from carrying foam tomahawks inside. Some fans did the tomahawk chop in front of the protesters, who ignored those actions.

A sign autographed by 35,000 Twin fans and posted outside an Atlanta hotel was removed after vandals defaced it with spray paint. A local radio station urged listeners to ruin the sign, and the disc jockeys who made those suggestions were suspended by the station.

A statue of home run champion Henry Aaron was returned to its place of honor outside the stadium Tuesday after undergoing repairs for damage caused during the Braves’ pennant celebration. Fans pried the bat out of Aaron’s hands after Atlanta’s seven-game playoff victory over the Pirates.