What does one usually envision when they think of America? Stereotypically responses include apple pie, cheeseburgers, liberty, and baseball. All the previously mentioned things have a significant cultural place in America. For example, baseball has been our "National Pastime" for over 100 years. While maintaining its status as our national pastime, baseball has influenced our society throughout its storied history. Baseball players are superstar icons who have a gripping effect on society. Because the high stature baseball has held over the years, it is a surprise that it has recently aided in a new cultural phenomenon of victimization. The current popular trend in America is to be considered a victim. Jack Solomon and Sonia Maasik explain this phenomenon in their essay, "Representing the "Other" in American Culture", when they say that "in the current discourse of 'otherness' in America, not to be a victim is often held equivalent to being a victimizer"(606). Baseball players have demonstrated this way of thinking in the notorious strike of 1994 and the recent labor disputes in August of 2002. Baseball players felt they were being bullied by owners and were victims of

The owners want to impose a salary cap on teams to control spending and increase in player salaries. According to David Grabiner of Princeton University, a salary cap "is an agreement that places an upper limit on the money each team can spend on salaries"(1). A salary cap eliminates competitive bidding between teams to an extent so that player salaries are driven higher than they are. Bret Boone, a major league second baseman, expressed the contempt players felts toward a salary cap when he states, "There's not going to be a salary cap. Player salaries should be dictated by the revenue of baseball"(1).Because this proposal of a salary cap was rejected by the players, the owners initially made an offer to increase revenue sharing from 20 % to 50 %. Sports juggernaut ESPN.com puts this percent increase into context when they describe the revenue sharing plan that started in 1996. ESPN.com reports that "each team contributes 20 percent of its net local revenue to a pool. Seventy-five percent of the pool is redistributed to all 30 teams, and 25 percent is redistributed only to the teams with local revenue below the Major League average"(1). The effect of an increase in revenue sharing would be similar to a salary cap, but not as drastic. The revenue sharing would reduce the disparity in payroll between teams; therefore, teams would be limited on the amount of money they can spend on player salaries. While discussing these issues, heated arguments arose between the players and owners. Both sides played hardball in negotiations, especially the players. They set a strike date in the case no agreement was reached. After several days of negotiating, the two sides eventually hammered out an agreement to

support, in baseball players, to continue the expansion of the victimization in our society.

The MLBPA, Major League Baseball Player's Association, is a union of baseball players that negotiated with the owners during the labor dispute. The union was represented by a few major leaguers such as Atlanta Braves' pitcher Tom Glavine and headed by Don Fehr. During the controversial labor disputes, a common theme could be noticed about how the representatives from the union were acting. Every time they were on television or were interviewed, they acted very meek and innocent. When confronted with issues about a possible strike, several major leaguers would make generic responses about "just wanting to save baseball". Chuck Finley, a pitcher for the St Louis Cardinals, provides a prime example of this when he admitted, "Doing something to stop something that people grew up with and love is not ever good. You just try to avoid it at all costs"(1). If you were "trying to avoid it at all costs", then why don't the players agree to a deal that gives them a little less money and save the game Chuck? The answer is simple. The major leaguers are not victims in this situation, they are just as much at fault as the owners are in prolonging the labor talks. Don Fehr, head of the player's union, even recognized the trend of players trying to fit in to the victim

role when he declared, "You've got to understand that major league clubs - and this is true in football, it's true in basketball, it's true in hockey, and it's true in baseball - they all have a built in interest in portraying themselves as not doing very well"(1). If the head of the MLBPA admits that people in professional sports attempt to see themselves as victims when they are not, how can America take their victimization claims serious? When Americans notice that these blessed athletes make these claims it will only boost the phenomenon of victims in our culture.

The owners want to impose a salary cap on teams to control spending and increase in player salaries. According to David Grabiner of Princeton University, a salary cap "is an agreement that places an upper limit on the money each team can spend on salaries"(1). A salary cap eliminates competitive

Some common words found in the essay are:
Don Fehr, Strike They're, American Culture, Bret Boone, Major League, Bill Veeck, League Baseball, Louis Cardinals, National Pastime, Salary Arbitration, baseball players, salary cap, major leaguers, revenue sharing, major league, players owners, player salaries, players victims, national pastime, it's true, increase revenue sharing, major league baseball, multimillionaire players victims, player salaries discussing, spend player salaries,
Approximate Word count = 3027
Approximate Pages = 12 (250 words per page double spaced)