RIP Marvin Miller

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/mlb/story/2012/11/27/sp-mlb-marvin-miller-major-league-baseball-players-association-donald-fehr.html?cmp=rss

Died this morning. Did a lot of great things for Baseball.

RIP

 

Should have been inducted into the hall long ago. RIP.

 

One of the most important people in both the history of American sports and American labor relations.

 

The three most important people in baseball history were Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, and Miller. That he was not elected to the Hall in his lifetime is a tribute to what nasty, selfish jerks baseball owners and baseball players are. The new Veterans Committee had a number of members Miller helped get rich, and they snubbed him.

 

http://www.villagevoice.com/2007-11-27/news/hall-of-shame/

Let's also add this 1992 endorsement from legendary broadcaster Red Barber: "Marvin Miller, along with Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson, is one of the two or three most important men in baseball history."

 

Wow, I knew MG had been around a while, but I didn't realize he was the Ol' Redhead himself.

 

I really took note in the 70's growing up of how Miller fought the battle to free the players from the "reserve" clause. Tragedy that he's not in the HOF and that more young players do not invoke his name when they reap the benefits of their free agency.

 

Some excellent fire and brimstone here from Charles Pierce:

http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/rip-marvin-miller-112712?src=spr_TWITTER&spr_id=1456_5612664

 

No one's "accomplishments" are more overblown than his.

 

Well if the "reserve" clause were still in existence:

1. Bonds would have retired a Pirate;
2. Pujols is forever a Cardinal;
3. Reggie never hits 3 HRs in the WS for the Yankees;
4. Players would still be selling insurance in the off-season;
5.and
.
.
.
5. Tickets would still be $5000 a game at Yankee Stadium for the Weds. game against the Twins.

 

Yeah, he only dragged Major League Baseball owners kicking and screaming into the 20th Century.

RIP to a man who helped correct one of the great injustices of labor relations.

 

Well this should speed up the NHL labor negotiations.