Maryland Governor Talks to Davis About Moving Raiders to Baltimore

Maryland Gov. William Donald Schaefer has spoken by phone to Raider owner Al Davis about moving the team to Baltimore, and on Thursday, asked the state General Assembly to set aside next Monday’s deadline to buy time for negotiations.

Parties trying to get an NFL team for Baltimore had agreed to the deadline to have a team demonstrate definite interest in moving there. Otherwise, $160 million earmarked for a stadium might pass into the hands of other state agencies.

Oriole owner Peter Angelos has emerged in the quest as a potential bidder for the Rams or Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“There is activity, real strong activity,” Schaefer said of the city’s NFL hopes.

Last Friday, Schaefer spoke for about 30 minutes by telephone with Davis. Raider spokesman Al LoCasale said Thursday that he would neither confirm nor deny the talks.

Legislators have said they have mixed views of the governor’s maneuvering, with one side agreeing with his wait-and-see stance and another fearing that a delay could prompt Washington Redskin owner Jack Kent Cooke to withdraw his plan to finance and build his own $160-million stadium in Laurel, Md.