- Sports in brief Kapp loses final step in lawsuit United Press International

J The U.S. Supreme Court Monday rejected an appeal by former quart- erback Joe Kapp, who for eight years battled the National Football League and the New England Patriots in an antitrust lawsuit. In a brief order, the Supreme Court denied Kapp's appeal and let stand lower federal court rulings that denied him any financial a-wa- rd. Kapp had contended the NFL Joe Kapp " teletoso and the Patriots had forced him out Loses in Supreme Court of pro football. In January 1971, Kapp refused to regular umpires back on the job as sign a "standard player contract" soon as possible. with the Patriots as required by "The quality of the game has gone NFL rules on the grounds that the down because of the inept jobs they rules violated federal antitrust laws. (the new umpires) are doing," com- Kapp cited the "Rozelle Rule," plained third baseman Ray Knight. which prevented a new club from the Reds' player representative. signing a free agent until it com- "It's really getting serious," said pensated his former club, and the veteran second baseman Joe draft rule, which prevented a player Morgan. "If it keeps up. the ball from negotiating with other clubs players will be donating money to even if the pro club that drafted him the real umpires to get them back to made an unacceptable offer. work." When NFL Commissioner Pete John Milner of the Pittsburgh Rozelle insisted that the Patriots Pirates, who had eight hits in 14 at-bat- s, require Kapp to sign the contract, was named the National Kapp left the club's training camp in League's Player of the Week for the July 1971 and went to court. period ending Sunday. A U.S. district judge in California The first baseman also had two ruled the NFL procedures in home runs, one triple, two doubles question violated antitrust laws but and drove in eight runs while scoring Kapp was not awarded damages six. Milner edged George Foster of because a jury found that he had not Cincinnati. San Diego's Dave proved he had been damaged per- Winfield and Houston's Jose Cruz. sonally by the anti-competiti- ve effect of the rules. The jury also Soccer denied him damages on a breach of North American Soccer League contract claim against the Patriots. Players Association Executive The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Ap- Director Ed Garvey declined peals affirmed the decision, saying Monday to say how many of its the NFL apparently had convinced members are on strike, but insisted the jury that Kapp was an injury-pron- e the walkout "has good support" and quarterback of declining he expects the number of striking abilities who had stopped playing players to increase. football to pursue a career as a However, four of the six foreign movie actor. players among the 16 players who walked out on the Fort Lauderdale Baseball Strikers before their game Saturday The Cincinnati Reds have agreed night against the Washington Di- unanimously to urge Commissioner plomats announced Monday they Bowie Kuhn to intercede in the have decided to end their strike and umpires' strike and try to get return to the team.