THREATENED BASEBALL STRIKE . . . A NATIONAL EMERGENCY?

The baseball season was temporarily spared today when the players' union decided to continue negotiations. The threat of an immediate walk-out flared after it was disclosed that the owners failed to pay the $7.8 million due August 1 to the athletes' pension plan. With the August 12 strike date still in placed, many major leaguers feel that the owners are making no effort to settle the differences of the two sides, and in fact are tryng to provoke a cease-play. A national emergency? Probably not one that President Clinton would get involved in, he said last night during his televised press conference. Nonetheless, he added, "I think it would be heartbreaking for the American people if our national pastime didn't get through this whole season."