By MATTHEW SCHOFIELD The Kansas City Star
Date: 03/25/99 22:15
Missouri's pro football and baseball teams have joined in their opposition to Proposition B, which would legalize concealed weapons in Missouri.
The team presidents of the Royals and the Chiefs in Kansas City and the Cardinals and the Rams in St. Louis sent out a joint letter Thursday.
The letter, addressed "Dear Missouri Sports Fans," urges people to vote against Proposition B on April 6.
"We are not interested in taking sides on the general question of concealed weapons," the letter states. "However, we do feel compelled to speak out against Proposition B because it does not prohibit concealed weapons in stadiums and other public sports venues."
The letter is signed by team presidents Carl Peterson of the Chiefs, Mike Herman of the Royals, Mark Lamping of the Cardinals and John Shaw of the Rams.
Donald Fehr and Gene Upshaw, executive directors of the Major League Baseball Players Association and the NFL Players Association respectively, have contacted the teams to note their opposition to Proposition B.
"The NFLPA opposes any proposal that would allow guns to be carried into stadiums because of the danger concealed handguns present to players, coaches, referees and fans," Upshaw said in a news release.
Backers of the law say the teams are basing their stance on faulty information.
Brett Feinstein, spokesman for Missourians Against Crime, said that while Proposition B wouldn't ban guns from stadiums, it would allow any place of business to post signs forbidding guns.
"If they're concerned, they should go ahead and post," he said. "But they should also remember that all of these teams currently play games in states with less strict concealed-weapons laws than this one, and there haven't been any problems."
[This message has been edited by DHH (edited March 28, 1999).]
[This message has been edited by DHH (edited March 28, 1999).]
[This message has been edited by DHH (edited March 28, 1999).]