Sport: Charlie Finely: Baseball's Barnum

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Two years ago he suffered a heart attack, and his doctors advised him to cut down on work. He obeyed them by selling the Memphis Tams of the A.B.A. and the California Golden Seals of the N.H.L., two teams he cared about only marginally. But he could not bring himself to part with the A's. His resolve to keep them is stronger now because of a possible deal to move the team to Chicago next season. The American League is trying to work out a swap that would involve selling the White Sox to a Seattle syndicate, bringing the A's to Chicago and rechristening them the White Sox. Finley would like nothing better than wheeling and dealing for a hometown club. "Hell, we'd have 2 million fans come see us here," he says.

Whatever the outcome of the franchise switch, Finley will probably stay in baseball just to see the game five years from now—orange balls streaking through the air, batters getting on base after three balls, pitchers nervously eyeing the clock. "Action!" shouts Finley. "Action—that's what the game needs! Let's get some goddam action in this sport!"