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CNN Live At Daybreak

Interview With Scott Thomas; Soldiers React to Possible Baseball Strike

Aired August 30, 2002 - 06:05   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Baseball negotiations and the possibility of a strike later today are stirring up strong emotions for fans here, in the United States, and for those stationed abroad. Many of those American troops serving in Afghanistan are big baseball fans.
One of them wrote us about his current discontent with the sport. He says: "Baseball players need to stop thinking of their two houses and five automobiles, and start remembering 9/11 and become Patriots and play for the game. I am a Braves fan and have lived in Atlanta my whole life. If the playing conditions are so bad, Tom Glavine can come and stand guard behind one of my M-240B machine guns and see what the price of his freedom really is." Signed "Staff Sergeant Scott Thomas with the 82nd Airborne Division."

Joining us now by videophone from Kandahar is CNN's Ryan Chilcote.

Boy, they are angry out there -- Ryan.

RYAN CHILCOTE CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's a hot day here, as you might imagine, at the Kandahar Air Base in southeastern Afghanistan.

And as you said, with us today, we have the staff sergeant that wrote that letter, and two other paratroopers from his squad, who are big -- obviously, big baseball fans and more than a little bit concerned about the possibility of a strike back home, so if I could speak with them -- or maybe we could start with you, Staff Sergeant.

What inspired you to write that letter to the editor?

SGT. SCOTT THOMAS, 82ND AIRBORNE DIVISION: What inspired us to write it -- or me to write it was we kept reading about how they want to go on strike for pay problems, and we thought they played for the love of the game.

And we are here doing our job, doing our duty for far meager wages than what they can make in one game. It just completely seemed unfair to us that they should go on strike for something that they love to do. What would they do if we went on strike?

CHILCOTE: And if you could have a private audience with those baseball players right now and tell them a little about life here in Kandahar and what's different about that from their life, what would you say to them? THOMAS: Well, I'd like for them to go out and run a patrol and, you know, feel what it's like to avoid land mines, and wondering if you're going to get shot by snipers the next day or not, whether if you're going to come home tonight. And then, while they're sitting at home wondering, you know, how are they going to pitch, or when are they going to hit a next home run, it's just not the same.

CHILCOTE: Pete Agnew (ph), I know you are also a baseball fan. What can you -- what do you have to say to these guys?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I want them to realize that they are living out the dreams of the young kids of America, and they need to realize that the kids look up at them. And it's not really about the money, but you know, it's about having fun, and the kids look up to them, and it's not really about the money.

CHILCOTE: Mr. Chiggert (ph), are you guys able to follow baseball over here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not as much as we'd like. We're hoping that no matter what happens, we'll get to watch baseball, whether it's AAA players or the actual players itself.

CHILCOTE: All right, well, like I said, we have three paratroopers from the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne. These men are very concerned about the possibility of a strike. They say that that would not be a very American thing to do.

Back to you -- Carol.

COSTELLO: I think many people agree with them. Thank you, Ryan Chilcote, by videophone from Kandahar, Afghanistan this morning.

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