WHITE SOX WILL BE STAYING IN CHICAGO
LAST-MINUTE ACTION BY ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE AVERTS MOVE TO ST. PETERSBURG

An incentive plan to keep the Chicago White Sox from moving to Florida narrowly was approved Thursday in the Illinois General Assembly after a sponsor warned, "We're about to turn the lights out in Comiskey Park."

Final passage came on a 60-55 vote in the House after a tense roll call during which Gov. James R. Thompson worked the House floor in search of votes.The measure, which could cut $60 million from the team's cost of occupying a new state-funded stadium, earlier cleared the Senate on a 30-26 vote - the bare majority required for passage.

The House action was tinged with controversy. The roll call was begun just before a midnight deadline after which the bill would have required 71 votes for passage.

House Majority Leader Jim McPike, presiding over the chamber, declared that the bill was passed "at 11:59 p.m.." But other clocks indicated it was after midnight, and a computer printout of the vote produced immediately after the roll call was dated July 1.

"You bet I was worried," a relieved Thompson told reporters. "Wouldn't you be worried? Weren't you watching the votes? This is a political resurrection from the dead, a baseball resurrection from the dead."

After the vote, the White Sox issued a statement, saying the team was "elated."

"Today's legislative victory is the result of the dedicated efforts of the entire White Sox organization, numerous public officials and loyal Sox fans," the team said.

In a brief Senate debate, backers of the plan argued that losing the White Sox would be a moral and economic blow to Chicago, and that it wouldn't compete for funds with education and other state programs.

"This is the only chance to save the Sox, or tomorrow they're going to be in St. Petersburg," said Sen. Wiliam Marovitz, D-Chicago.

"It's the last of the ninth," added sponsoring Sen. Timothy Degnan, D-Chicago. "We're about to turn the lights out in Comiskey Park."

"As a native Chicagoan, I'm delighted," Baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth said. "This is a great day for the state of Illinois, the people of Chicago and the White Sox. The Legislature's approval is a signifcant demonstration of support for the White Sox and two-team baseball in Chicago."

"There was enormous pressure to keep them there," St. Petersburg Mayor Robert Ulrich said. "It's a huge economic benefit to the state and they know it. I thought that in the final hours of horse trading anything could happen and it did.