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A's must stay, Oakland mayor candidates say

Column by Dave Newhouse

Ignacio De La Fuente, the one-time soccer player, is pursuing the Oakland mayor's job with more determination than he ever let loose chasing a soccer ball.

De La Fuente is feverishly attempting to cram in 215 house meetings before the June 6 election, and he's already passed the 170 mark.

"And in 80 percent of the homes," he said, "the question has come up about the A's."

Who said sports won't have an impact on the mayor's election?

Oakland has three capable mayoral candidates in former Congressman Ron Dellums and Councilmembers Nancy Nadel and De La Fuente. It's unlikely any of them will receive the 50 percent of the vote necessary to decide June's election. And if that's the case, there will be a runoff in November.

Crucial issues confront Oakland's next mayor: crime, education, public services, jobs. Yet De La Fuente continually is asked whether the A's are leaving town. Balls and strikes also are important to voters.

Thus it's important to find out how all three candidates perceive sports from an personal and overall perspectives.

Dellums' boyhood dream in Oakland was to be a big league player.

"When I graduated from Westlake Junior High School, the prediction in the yearbook was that Ron Dellums and Frank Robinson would wear major league uniforms," he said. "I was a pitcher. When I didn't make the team at Oakland Tech, I went into the football bleachers and cried into the night. I felt that my whole world had crumbled."

Dellums' grades fell as a result, but he pulled himself together in the Marines, earned a degree from Cal and went on to a distinguished career in Congress. And fitness is as important to him today as ever.

"I was an avid runner," he said. "Now I work out more in the gym; I still skip rope at 70. I also do aerobics, stretching, martial arts, abdominal work, shadow boxing. I work out every day. I see myself as an athlete."

Nadel grew up in a house of women in New York, but her father showed her the enthusiasm of a Brooklyn Dodgers fan. When the Dodgers came west, so did Nadel, only with an increased appetite for athletics.

"I didn't play sports growing up," she said. "I was very shy, and I didn't have to be subject to somebody picking me for a team. So I was great at archery, running around Lake Merritt, and swimming. That's pretty much what I do today. I also enjoy painting."

Besides playing soccer as a boy in Mexico City, De La Fuente played baseball and American football. He hasn't the time to work out at a club or ride his motorcycle now because of the hectic pace he has chosen.

So, then, candidates, what about those A's?

"I would certainly love to see the A's stay here in Oakland," Nadel said. "I know it's difficult to find the perfect space. It's a matter of finding the best spot that doesn't require eminent domain.

"Most of the constituents in Oakland don't want to put in a lot of city money for a stadium. People want street repairs, sidewalk repairs. It's a real balancing act. I've already met with (A's owner) Mr. (Lew) Wolff. He knows he can talk to me any time. I hope we reach a deal that will work out for the city."

No politico has invested more time and energy into Oakland sports than De La Fuente, who was hammered politically over the Raiders' return in 1995.

"That question comes up once in a while," he said of his house meetings. "I recognize we should have done a better job, but the reality is we managed to retain three franchises, remodel a 33-year-old facility and retain 4,000 jobs."

De La Fuente doesn't blame Wolff for looking at ballpark options outside Oakland, but the councilman doesn't think much of the options.

"Santa Clara has never been a real place for them to go. (A proposed) Fremont (ballpark site) is not close to BART or close to anything. I don't think it's in the cards. Las Vegas is all part of the overall bargaining leverage position."

De La Fuente believes a site can be found in Oakland. He has two or three in mind that he won't disclose. But he's confident the A's will sign a lease extension, which gives Oakland more time.

After talking to Wolff, Dellums said, "I found him a very honest, refreshing, candid person. What he said to me was, 'Don't break your pick on this one. You've got other priorities.' I thought I heard him very clearly."

Very clearly: Ground won't be broken on a new ballpark in Oakland.

However, Dellums added there is a group "working very diligently" on a new location in Oakland now that the downtown site and the 66th Avenue site across from the Coliseum Complex appear buried in the dead stadium file.

"I don't close the door," Dellums said. "I can see another push. People love the A's. People love sports. And I think that's healthy."

Dellums and De La Fuente see sports as vitally important to Oakland.

"I really believe that no city can be a great city without all the different amenities: the symphony, ballet, the Chabot observatory, Children's Fairyland, to the Raiders, A's and Warriors. Sports increase the value of our city. It will be my job as mayor to make sure all three franchises stay here, for economics and pride."

Ooops, no more ballet in Oakland.

"Sports are an integral part of Americana," Dellums said. "Sports have to play a role. I was talking to (ex-Raider) Clem Daniels about putting together a citizen task force that would stay vigilant on where we are in Oakland in terms of our sports, where things don't fall through the cracks."

A former Oakland playground director, Dellums also wants to revitalize the after-school recreation programs in Oakland and improve the still rundown kids' baseball fields.

"We need to make the kids our No. 1 priority," he stressed.

Dellums is a visionary riding into Oakland on a white horse. De La Fuente is a sleeves-rolled-up mechanic tinkering with Oakland's sports teams. Nadel has a more detached view but could upset the whole election apple cart.

There is no endorsement forthcoming here, other than Oakland's sports teams "” the pros and the kids "” need a mayor who truly cares about them.


Dave Newhouse can be reached at (510) 208-6466

or by e-mail at dnewhouse@angnewspapers.com.

quote:

Dellums and De La Fuente see sports as vitally important to Oakland.

"I really believe that no city can be a great city without all the different amenities: the symphony, ballet, the Chabot observatory, Children's Fairyland, to the Raiders, A's and Warriors. Sports increase the value of our city. It will be my job as mayor to make sure all three franchises stay here, for economics and pride."

Ahh ... if only Portland candidates and politicos were so visionary and wise!

You don't hear about it much in the papers, but I can assure you that the business community and other people of influence (no, not blowhard talk show hosts) are talking a lot about our "visionary" leadership these days.

We're in the middle of a shift from the "benevolent dictator" days of Goldschmidt, Katz, etc. to a new era. The new era has so far been self-described as more open and inclusive, but they have shown themselves to be bumbling at times while still prone to the same level of cronyism as in the past. I predict a retreat by the next election, towards leaders who are somewhat more willing to be open then some of the closed door decisions of the past, but also shows competence, vision, a business-friendly attitude, actually getting things done, and yes, a tolerance for some PDX quirkiness.