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Baseball Fans Prepare for All-Star Game

Aired July 09, 2002 - 14:50   ET

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

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Tonight, the spotlight turns to some of baseball's best, ready to take the field and have some fun without worrying, so we hope, about standings and stats. Josie Karp with CNN Sports is taking in the All-Star atmosphere. She's at Miller Park in Milwaukee. Hi, Josie.

JOSIE KARP, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Hi. I know it does not sounds like it from the way we have been talking all week, but there is going to be a game tonight. We have been spending so much time talking about labor issues, behind me, you can probably hear and see the fact that they are practicing for the pre-game festivities.

But, just recently, there was another reminder that labor issues are really at the forefront right now. Commissioner Bud Selig just held what was termed a town hall meeting where he answered questions over the Internet from the public. And about half of those questions had to do exclusively with labor issues. So that's just another sign that labor is really overshadowing the game tonight.

Selig also said he is in his hometown and he's, using his word, uptight about the fact that he hopes that everything goes well. And there was evidence last night that everything isn't going smoothly for the commissioner when he was on the field after the home run derby to present the trophy to winner, Jason Giambi of the New York Yankees. He was actually booed here by the hometown crowd. Clearly, those in attendance were trying to make some sort of commentary about how they feel about the state of baseball or the way that Commissioner Selig has led this game.

Just for the record, when Selig was talking about what he thinks the future for the season of baseball is, he said that he is trying as best he can to remain optimistic, that there will not be a work stoppage this season. That's the latest from here at Miller Park. I hope you could hear me. I am going to send it back to you.

PHILLIPS: All right, Josie. Yes, I can definitely hear you. Hopefully you can still hear me. Tell us what's going on in the background? I hear Jackie Robinson's name, Ted Williams, some sort of honor that's going on in the background there?

KARP: I can't -- I don't have eyes in the back of my head. All can I tell you is it is loud and there are a lot of kids having a lot of fun getting ready for tonight, when they will share the stage with a lot of All-Stars. PHILLIPS: All right. Josie Karp, right in the middle of it all. Thanks, Josie.

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