Arlen Specter: “I believe that it is highly unlikely--virtually impossible--for the Congress of the United States to act on an antitrust…”

“I believe that it is highly unlikely--virtually impossible--for the Congress of the United States to act on an antitrust exemption to have any meaningful impact on the pending strike and, therefore, urge in the strongest possible terms that both parties return to the negotiating table to work in a collective bargaining sense to end the strike and bring baseball to the playing field this spring. I have had long reservations about the antitrust exemption as it applies to baseball, as it applies to other major sports, like football, which has an antitrust exemption for revenue sharing, and participated more than a decade ago, in 1982, in extensive hearings when the Los Angeles Raiders, then the Oakland Raiders, were proposing a move. And those hearings were very important and raised some of the same considerations which are now pending on the baseball strike. As we have moved forward in the consideration of the complex issues on the antitrust exemption, my view has been to retain the exemption as it impacts on the Pirates, which are a major factor in Pittsburgh, and a major constituent interest of mine.”