[Fay Vincent, the former baseball commissioner, made his own assessment. A couple of weeks ago he resigned from the board of trustees at the Jesuit-run Fairfield University and refused to accept an honorary degree from Sacred Heart University to protest what happened to Reese.] I'm really worried that some Catholic organizations, especially universities, are at some risk, ... How can you call yourself a university without free debate? |
[Then Reds owner] Marge Schott , who was cheap, didn't like the players or the manager calling long distance from the clubhouse, |
A lot of people are asking why doesn't Selig just invoke the 'best interests' clause and deal with this. I try to explain to them that the 'best interest' clause is irrelevant in labor because of all the players protected (federal law). ... He has almost no discretion. He's pretty limited. |
Almost always he bet on the Reds, but some nights he wouldn't because he didn't like the pitcher. He didn't like Mario Soto and some nights he wouldn't bet when Soto was pitching. So then the bookie knows, 'Well, Rose is not betting tonight.' You can imagine how quickly that traveled. |
Buck O'Neil has been a great credit to baseball. He's a friend of all of ours. He has credentials that are absolutely wonderful. (But) the committee did not elect Buck O'Neil. |
confronts his past with very little remorse. |
He doesn't like commissioners, |
He is calling from the clubhouse. He is putting the bet down on the team. |
He's in a very tough situation, and that's why I think it's the worst problem for baseball since the Black Sox. Because it's so amorphous and so big and so murky. ... For the first time Selig has the awkward position of having to authorize an investigation where he may be a target. No commissioner has ever been in that position. |
I can't be optimistic. I can be hopeful. |
I don't know if anybody would be willing to go out on a limb and say other Negro leagues guys are going to be considered. |
I don't think Bud really has any choice now. If he does nothing, Congress will surely jump in again. They're going want answers about Bonds. I think there's very little room for Bud to maneuver here. Baseball needs to have its own independent investigation. |
I don't think Bud wants a major confrontation. On other hand he wants major changes, and that's going to lead to a major confrontation, ... The union is very well run. They win all the legal fights and baseball has to fold. There isn't much history that says the owners have a very good chance. |
I don't think the [players] union could do much about it if he decides the records are not going to exist anymore. It's something the commissioner has pretty strong jurisdiction over. |
I don't think the individuals are going to be willing to discuss their individual votes. We agreed we would not do that. |