COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. -- With the threat of another work stoppage looming for Major League Baseball, 40 Hall of Famers drafted a letter requesting the sides to use a mediator at the talks.

	“	Just don't ruin what we've built up. It was tough enough after the last strike. We don't need another. ”
		— Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller

"Both sides make persuasive arguments to support their positions, and thinking persons can understand the merits of those arguments," said the letter, which was released Monday. "Despite how each of us feels individually, however, we all agree that another work stoppage in baseball would be a terrible mistake."

Former Detroit Tigers star Al Kaline proposed the letter at dinner Sunday night after Ozzie Smith's induction.

"I love this game very much, as do all my fellow Hall of Fame members," Kaline said. "I did not think we should stand by idle and fail to express our views."

Text of Hall of Famers' letter

Dear Bud and Don: Though we are bound together by sharing baseball's greatest honor -- being elected members of the Hall of Fame -- we are a diverse group. We are from different generations, have had different life experiences, and as such we each have our own -- often strongly held -- beliefs. Each of us has our own opinions about the labor-management issues between major league baseball and the players' association through the years -- and today. Both sides make persuasive arguments to support their positions, and thinking persons can understand the merits of those arguments. Despite how each of us feels individually, however, we all agree that another work stoppage in baseball would be a terrible mistake. To protect the game we all love and have given so much to, we suggest you agree to a qualified mediator that will allow you to find the common ground necessary to avoid a work stoppage. Millions of loyal fans, the thousands of people who work in and around stadiums and depend on baseball for their livelihood, and the future of the game, are depending on you and will benefit from your reasonableness and wisdom if you can achieve this. Sparky Anderson, Johnny Bench, Yogi Berra, George Brett, Lou Brock, Jim Bunning, Rod Carew, Steve Carlton, Orlando Cepeda, Bobby Doerr, Bob Feller, Rollie Fingers, Whitey Ford, Bob Gibson, Monte Irvin, Reggie Jackson, Fergie Jenkins, Al Kaline, George Kell, Harmon Killebrew, Ralph Kiner, Sandy Koufax, Juan Marichal, Willie Mays, Bill Mazeroski, Stan Musial, Tony Perez, Gaylord Perry, Kirby Puckett, Robin Roberts, Brooks Robinson, Red Schoendienst, Mike Schmidt, Tom Seaver, Duke Snider, Warren Spahn, Don Sutton, Ozzie Smith, Billy Williams, Dave Winfield

"Al's idea is a solid one," said Tom Seaver, who starred for the Mets, White Sox and Reds. "As a group, we felt it was important to put pen to paper and publicly share our opinion on this matter."

Pete Donatello of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Series has been in contact with the sides, management lawyer Rob Manfred said, but Donatello has not been active at the bargaining table.

Fehr and Selig met in Cooperstown for two hours Sunday, and both sides said they would be available for meetings every day this week, when Fehr hopes to conclude his tour of the 30 teams.

Players, fearful that owners will change work rules or lock them out after the World Series, are threatening to call the sport's ninth work stoppage since 1972.

Just the thought of that rankled 83-year-old Bob Feller, who said the dinner discussion became so intense the Hall of Famers didn't even eat dessert.

"We don't want a strike," the former Cleveland Indians ace right-hander said Monday before the Hall of Fame Game at Doubleday Field. "We want them to get their heads together, or at least put it in abeyance. Make them finish the season. They can iron it out between now and spring training. Just don't ruin what we've built up. It was tough enough after the last strike. We don't need another."

Feller suggested that if players strike, President Bush should issue an executive order sending the players back to play until the World Series is over. Bush is the former owner of the Texas Rangers.

"We just want to see baseball continue," former Red Sox star Bobby Doerr said. "And I think some of these young players are going to have to step up and say, 'Look, we love the game and don't want to see it hurt.' They're going to have to do something to keep from having a strike. Don't destroy something that's great with greed. That's the attitude of all the Hall of Famers."

If players don't see progress in the talks, their executive board is likely to set a strike date for mid-August or early September.

Owners, wanting to redirect money from the big-spending teams, have proposed increasing the amount of shared locally generated revenue from 20 percent to 50 percent.

Management also wants a 50 percent luxury tax on the portions of payrolls above $98 million to slow the rise in player salaries, which averaged $2.38 million on Opening Day this year.

Together, those proposals probably would lower the percentage of revenue going to players, who don't want to drain too much money from the high-revenue teams.

Chicago White Sox shortstop Royce Clayton thinks events of the past year should be enough impetus to reach a settlement.

"None of us want a strike with the things going on all over the world," Clayton said. "I don't think the players or ownership at this point want to have a work stoppage because of the atmosphere. On our side, if we don't get some type of agreement, we basically have no choice. We hope it doesn't come to that. Both sides are talking. It's positive."