Korean baseball owners under fire as support for players union grows

SEOUL -- The continuing saga of the Korean pro baseball players union has taken another series of twists and turns as players, many of whom were livid at the firing of six key members of the union, have started signing up as an act of solidarity with their fellow professionals.

Earlier this year, after firing six key members of the players union and declaring them free agents, the owners poured fat on the fire by agreeing that none of the teams would sign any of the six "rebels."

Fans were outraged and polls showed over 90 percent of the public supported the players. Daily demonstrations took place at the Korean Baseball Organization's office in southern Seoul and computer chat rooms featured many suggestions -- often biologically impossible -- as to what the owners could do with their principles.