Senators Criticize Both Sides in Baseball Strike

On the eve of the start of spring training, bickering major league baseball players and owners brought their labor dispute to Capitol Hill on Wednesday. But instead of receiving any help, both sides got something of a tongue-lashing from irate senators.

The venue was a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing on proposals to repeal part of baseball’s antitrust exemption, which would enable players to sue if owners impose unilateral terms that are different from the terms of the expired collective bargaining agreement.

And even though the players have said that they would end their strike if such an exemption were repealed, subcommittee members left little doubt that such action is at best remote.

“We are not going to legislate on this matter before spring training starts,” said Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.). “This is too complicated to have that happen. We’re too busy on other matters.”

Much of the three-hour hearing was taken up by lawyerly colloquy over the finer points of labor law. But the exchanges were interspersed with rambling statements from members of the subcommittee, who chastised the players and owners for everything from their intransigence to the price of tickets and hot dogs at ballparks.

“People are angry,” fumed Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.), the ranking minority member of the Judiciary Committee. “Neither one of you is very popular,” he said, looking out at the gathering of players, owners and their representatives.

Those attending included players Eddie Murray and David Cone; Donald Fehr, head of the Major League Baseball Players Assn.; and Bud Selig, acting baseball commissioner and president of the Milwaukee Brewers.