Jackson Renews Call for Boycott of Baseball : Sports: Minister assails racism, lack of minority managers in professional athletics. He urges Clinton to honor picket line at season opener.

Flanked by former Los Angeles Dodgers catcher John Roseboro, the Rev. Jesse Jackson continued his attack on racism in professional athletics Saturday, decrying the lack of African-American and Latino managers and play-by-play announcers and repeating his call for a baseball boycott if nothing changes by the season’s opener in April.

Speaking to about 200 Los Angeles labor leaders at their annual salute to Martin Luther King Jr., Jackson said he met with major league baseball owners last week to discuss the formation of the National Rainbow Coalition Fairness in Athletics Commission.

Roseboro said the commission, formed after racial and ethnic remarks by Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott were made public last fall, will apply pressure to an industry that has excluded people of color from its upper echelons for too long.

“We’re trying to rock baseball’s world and open some doors,” Roseboro told the standing-room-only crowd at the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor event. “We have a saying in baseball: We’re going to try to kick ass and take names.”

Jackson, who spoke one day after the 64th anniversary of King’s birth, echoed Roseboro’s feisty message, evoking the ideals of the slain civil rights leader. In a wide-ranging keynote speech, Jackson said he is disturbed by President-elect Bill Clinton’s announcement last week that, contrary to his campaign pledges, Haitian refugees will be returned if they attempt to flee to the United States.

“It is wrong to put up a naval blockade and lock Haitians out,” said Jackson, who called the decision “a moral disgrace” and urged Clinton to reconsider. “We hope that President-elect Clinton will hear our humanitarian plea. This is the tradition of Martin Luther King--to do justice and love mercy.”

But much of Jackson’s comments, which often prompted loud applause, targeted the big money world of sports.

In recent weeks, Jackson has called for boycotts of baseball games involving teams that do not have plans for affirmative action in place by opening day--April 5. He has also called on Clinton to support such “direct action” by refusing to throw out the first ball of the baseball season--a request Jackson repeated Saturday.

“We would urge Mr. Clinton, unless there is a definitive policy to reverse the racism, not to cross our picket line on that day. Rather, challenge baseball. Challenge Sister Schott to do justice,” Jackson said.

“Rhythm and running ain’t all we got. We’ve also got reasoning,” he said. “These teams are private-owned and public-subsidized. . . . We have the right to jobs. If (Fernando) Valenzuela can pitch that baseball, Hispanics can be front-office managers. There’s a place for all of us.”

Jackson criticized owners and managers of professional football teams as well. The Chicago Bears, he said, are a case in point.

“They’re looking for a coach, as are three other teams. On the field, 33 black players. But behind the lights, there are 65 front-office employees, and only three are black,” he said. “One is an assistant football coach and as they look for a coach, they walk past his office. In 1993, the struggle continues.”

Furthermore, he said, networks are failing to showcase nonwhite commentators.

“You saw the Rose Bowl, Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl,” Jackson said. “Not one African-American play-by-play announcer during the whole holiday season.”