BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE MAJOR LEAGUES : Former A’s Owner Haas Dead at 79

Walter A. Haas Jr., the Levi’s heir who owned the Oakland Athletics for 15 years and unassumingly directed the team to three pennant-winning seasons, died of cancer Wednesday at his San Francisco home. He was 79.

Haas, who recently sold the team, had been in failing health with prostate cancer for several months. Under Haas’ ownership, the A’s won a World Series championship and three consecutive American League pennants from 1988 to ’90.

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Proponents of a $325-million baseball stadium designed to keep the Seattle Mariners in town said they hope to propose at least one more financing plan if voters reject this effort.

A measure to finance most of a new stadium by increasing the King County sales tax from 8.2% to a state-high 8.3% was leading by only 4,000 votes after Tuesday’s primary, with about 47,000 absentee ballots left to be counted.

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A compromise plan to finance a new Milwaukee Brewer stadium was delayed when supporters said they wanted more time to rally support for a proposal they insist is needed to keep major league baseball in the area. . . . The Detroit Tigers moved a step closer to a new stadium when the Michigan Strategic Fund board approved a $55-million state grant for the facility.