The other day, after hearing that the Baseball Hall of Fame had cancelled the anniversary celebration for Bull Durham, a movie about baseball and hyperhormonal humans of both genders, I wrote the following email to Hall President Dale Petroskey. Mr. Petroskey had determined that Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins, two of the films stars who planned to attend the celebration, had, by their vocal opposition to war in Iraq, endangered the troops. He decided that the Hall couldn’t risk the possibility that Sarandon and Robbins might use the weekend to speak out.“I am appalled at your knee jerk cancellation of the Bull Durham celebration. Although I do not always agree with the opinions of those who live very public lives, I am always offended when those in positions of economic or political power attempt to bully them into silence. Your use of the Hall of Fame as an instrument of your own political beliefs is completely unacceptable and smells, no STINKS of the bitter odor of McCarthyism. You should be ashamed Mr. Petroskey. And the Hall of Fame should have the courage to act immediately to remove you from an office in which you apparently cannot serve without using it as a platform for your own personal political agenda. Lifelong baseball fan and proud aunt of an airman serving in the Iraq TOO “
This Rose is a Weed
December 16, 2002You know, it fades in time. And the fuzziness leads to complacency. But now it is back in the public eye. And it gets clearer and clearer every day. Bud, grow a pair and stand your ground. It may be the only time in my life I’ll say you’re right. Pete Rose is banned for life. So what if he wants in the Hall of Fame?
Admit and then be admitted?
So if someone whines long enough we just forget about it and let them off?
People view baseball without raised eyebrows because there is a death penalty (so to speak) for gambling ON YOUR OWN TEAM, which Rose did. I don’t care what a majority of Americans think about Rose’s reinstatement, how many of the polled are even baseball fans? How many have read the Dowd report? Juries aren’t asked to vote on guilt or innocence without having to listen to the evidence. I’ve read, I am a fan, I don’t want him back in the game ever.
I have no problem with him being elected to the hall of fame. Posthumously.