GaryMrMets
02-03-2003, 11:19 PM
Pirates Owner: No Collusion Now, Unlike During 1980s
PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh's Kevin McClatchy, inadvertently or not, has become the first major league owner to acknowledge that collusion occurred during the 1980s.
Asked if major league owners colluded this winter to drive down players salaries, McClatchy told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
"No, unequivocally no. That happened several years ago, before I came on board. I'm sure everyone learned their lesson.''
Arbitators ruled owners violated their labor contract by acting in concert against free agents after the 1985, 1986 and 1987 seasons. Owners settled the cases in 1990 for $280 million.
Still, owners have never admitted to the conspiracy that arbitrators Thomas Roberts and George Nicolau said existed during the three offseasons. The only management official to admit collusion was Fay Vincent, who was forced to resign as commissioner in 1992.
Pirates spokesman Jim Trdinich did not dispute what McClatchy said. But he said Monday that McClatchy was speaking offhandedly, and made the reference to the cases in the 1980s only because it was well known that owners paid damages.
McClatchy became the Pirates' owner in 1996.
PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh's Kevin McClatchy, inadvertently or not, has become the first major league owner to acknowledge that collusion occurred during the 1980s.
Asked if major league owners colluded this winter to drive down players salaries, McClatchy told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
"No, unequivocally no. That happened several years ago, before I came on board. I'm sure everyone learned their lesson.''
Arbitators ruled owners violated their labor contract by acting in concert against free agents after the 1985, 1986 and 1987 seasons. Owners settled the cases in 1990 for $280 million.
Still, owners have never admitted to the conspiracy that arbitrators Thomas Roberts and George Nicolau said existed during the three offseasons. The only management official to admit collusion was Fay Vincent, who was forced to resign as commissioner in 1992.
Pirates spokesman Jim Trdinich did not dispute what McClatchy said. But he said Monday that McClatchy was speaking offhandedly, and made the reference to the cases in the 1980s only because it was well known that owners paid damages.
McClatchy became the Pirates' owner in 1996.