NEW YORK - Angry players packed their bags as they prepared for major league baseball's first midseason strike since 1985 today.
Players Association official Gene Orza says technically the strike begins when players fail to show up for today's games.
Owners' negotiator Dick Ravitch and union chief Don Fehr did their only talking Thursday on national TV.
"Tragically, it does not look like this is going to be resolved in time to avert the strike," says Ravitch.
"There are no talks planned at this point," says Fehr.
Says Fehr, whose union opposes owner demands for a salary cap: "This is in their (owners') plan - to force a strike. The only thing they couldn't control about that was the date, but the date's here now."
President Clinton criticized the two sides for making "an assumption that the customers are always there" for baseball. The mood in most baseball clubhouses was as if the team had lost the World Series.
The Series itself is in jeopardy if the players do not return.
"We hope it's not a long strike," says Tony Gwynn, one of several players chasing revered records this season.
Gwynn is batting .394 for San Diego. The last to hit .400 was Boston's Ted Williams in 1941.
San Francisco's Matt Williams, Seattle's Ken Griffey Jr. and the White Sox's Frank Thomas are challenging Roger Maris' record of 61 home runs in a season.
"This just doesn't feel right," says Cincinnati manager Davey Johnson. "It's still hot and we're going home."
Players are united. "We are unanimous from Barry Bonds to the 25th player on everybody's team," says Chicago's Mark Grace. "We will stay out as long as it takes."
Interim commissioner Bud Selig had two conference calls with owners Thursday.
"This is a tough, tough day," Selig says.
Seattle's game at Oakland, over at 9:45 p.m. PT, was the last before the strike deadline.
