Show me the money! Do pro athletes make too much money?

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MIAMI, Fla. -- Hit a ball with a bat. How much is that worth?

If your name is Gary Sheffield, it's worth a fortune. On April 2, Sheffield, a right fielder with the Florida Marlins, agreed to a $61 million, six-year contract. It's the richest contract in baseball history, paying Sheffield, age 28, more than $10 million per year.

Albert Belle, an outfielder for the Chicago White Sox, however, remains the highest-paid player this year (see graph below); Sheffield's contract will not go into effect until next year.

Millionaires at Play

Sheffield's contract is only the latest in sky-high salary contracts for athletes. Stars in other sports are also raking in the big bucks.

Every time running back Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys scores a touchdown, he receives $45,000. Seattle Mariners slugger Ken Griffey Jr. takes home more than $100,000 for each home run he hits. Chicago Bulls superstar Michael Jordan receives about $200,000 for every basket.

* The average salary in the NBA is $2.2 million per year; the minimum starting salary is $220,000.

* The average salary in major-league baseball is now $1.37 million per year; the minimum starting salary is $109,000.

* The average salary in the NHL is $892,000; the minimum starting salary is $125,000.

* The average salary in the NFL is $795,000; the minimum starting salary is $131,000.

In contrast:

* The average pay for classroom teachers in the United States is $38,000 per year.

At that rate, a teacher would need a little more than 27 years to make $1 million -- less than half what an NBA player makes, on average, in just one year.

* The average pay for firefighters in the United States is around $40,000.

* The starting salary for police officers in the United States is around $29,000.

Do athletes deserve more money than firefighters or teachers -- people who hold what many consider more valuable jobs?

YES! They're Worth It!

Many people, including sports fans, say athletes deserve high salaries.

Sports fans, says Larry Lundy, director of sports marketing at Walt Disney World in Florida, are willing to pay increasingly higher ticket prices and watch TV sports events in large numbers. "It is the consumers who drive the market," he says.

Superstar athletes are few in number, and the fans' demand for them is high. That demand raises the price of athletes' services, Lundy says.

Others say athletes are paid fairly when compared with others in the entertainment industry. Actors such as Tom Cruise make between $15 and $20 million per movie.

"People forget that sports is entertainment," says Leonard Armato, the sports agent who negotiated the $120 million, seven-year deal for Shaquille O'Neal with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Top athletes believe they are worth the big bucks because they generate millions of dollars for team owners, who make money from ticket sales, television deals, and sales of team memorabilia.

NO! They Are Not Worth It!

People who think pro athletes are overpaid say other, more important professions are more worthy.

Police officers, firefighters, and doctors save lives -- sometimes while risking their own -- for a fraction of what sports stars make. People in the military defend and protect the country, sometimes giving their lives. Teachers are entrusted with the country's most precious resource -- its children.

"These superstars would not be where they are without their teachers," said a leading edurator. "Teachers lay the foundation for future success."

President Clinton earns $200,000 a year. Should the holder of the highest office in the country make less money per year than a rookie just starting out in the NBA?

As Hollywood says, "That's entertainment!"

However, even some former pro athletes wonder about the out-of-sight salaries of today's sports stars. Baseball Hall-of-Famer Duke Snider, who was never a millionaire, once said, "Man, if I made $1 million, I would come in at six in the morning, sweep the stands, wash the uniforms, clean out the offices, manage the team, and play the games."

Wouldn't you?

* George Herman "Babe" Ruth (photo below), was one of the first sports superstars. Ruth had a rough childhood in boarding schools, where he often had to fight for his life. But he overcame his background to become a national hero.

* During the Great Depression of the 1930s, Ruth earned a salary of $75,000 per year -- more than President Hoover's salary. When asked by reporters why he should make more money than the president, Ruth answered, "Why not? I had a better year than he did."

* Basketball hall-of-famer Wilt Chamberlain (photo below), who scored an average of over 50 points per game in 1962, and once scored 100 points in one game, got the first large NBA salary. When Wilt entered the league, in 1960, the highest-paid player was Bob Cousey, at $22,500. Wilt was offered $25,000, but turned it down for more money. He was told by NBA officials that the league couldn't possibly pay him more than $25,000. Wilt held out for more money, and the league came around. Wilt eventually became basketball's biggest -- and best-paid -- superstar, the Michael Jordan of his day.