Blacks Threaten to Picket Yankees and Mets Over Their Hiring Practices

NEW YORK —  Two black leaders say they will consider picketing Yankee and Shea stadiums if Mets’ owner Nelson Doubleday and Yankees’ owner George Steinbrenner refuse to discuss their clubs’ hiring practices.

“There is no real integration in management, both in baseball and football or any other sport,” declared City Councilman Wendell Foster, whose district includes Yankee Stadium. He said about a dozen black leaders have asked to meet with both owners by April 24, the date of the Mets’ next home game.

If the owners refuse to meet with the delegation, the Rev. Al Sharpton vowed, “We’re prepared to picket and have civil disobedience at the next game.

“New York City allows the New York Mets and the New York Yankees to use city facilities,” he said. “We want to make sure that New York City facilities are used in a way that guarantees equal and fair employment for all our citizens.”

Yankees’ spokesman Harvey Greene said Steinbrenner had not received the telegram yet, and could not comment. Asked how many blacks were in the team’s management, he said, “Our front office situation is internal. We don’t comment on it.”

Mets’ spokesman Dennis D’Agostino said there were at least three blacks and one Hispanic in management positions in the front office, and numerous blacks in stadium operations. Doubleday was out of town and not available for comment, according to a secretary.