71.   The strike was called Wednesday by United Steelworkers of America after negotiations on wage and labor contracts with mine managers broke down.

72.   The usually mild-mannered Bernard Gilkey was ejected for arguing a key called third strike.

73.   The umpire was with him so he kept putting it where he was calling a strike.

74.   Then the strike was called and things got worse.

75.   Then when the umpire calls the strike, it will be your fault.

76.   These days any umpire who calls a strike at the letters would be hooted down like a cop who enforces jaywalking laws.

77.   They vowed to continue the job action, though they stopped short of calling a strike.

78.   Trade unions who called the strike oppose government reform plans, fearing they would lead to large-scale layoffs of government workers.

79.   Umpires were told before the season to stop calling strikes on pitches off the corners of the plate.

80.   Umpires also have been instructed to enforce the edges of the plate, meaning they no longer will call strikes on pitches several inches outside.