Dale Petroskey gone from HOF

[Pere]

Dale Petroskey, the president of the Hall of Fame from 1999 until this year, is out of the job. It's not clear exactly what was going on, but apparently he was pushed out. Well, good riddance. Petroskey is the one who canceled an event celebrating the movie Bull Durham because he didn't like the political views of Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon. There are accounts of that sorry episode from Two Finger Carney and Eric Enders.

[SamtheBravesFan]

Dale Petroskey, the president of the Hall of Fame from 1999 until this year, is out of the job. It's not clear exactly what was going on, but apparently he was pushed out. Well, good riddance. Petroskey is the one who canceled an event celebrating the movie Bull Durham because he didn't like the political views of Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon. There are accounts of that sorry episode from Two Finger Carney and Eric Enders.

Well, obviously, he was scared that they would generate negative publicity by using their speaking times there as a soapbox for other issues. Paranoia at its finest, but I don't blame him for thinking that.

[PeteF3]

Paranoia at its finest, but I don't blame him for thinking that.

Wait, which is it? It's either paranoia or he can't be blamed, but it can't be both.

Petroskey had other issues besides the Bull Durham incident and him being gone is a Good Thing.

[SamtheBravesFan]

Wait, which is it? It's either paranoia or he can't be blamed, but it can't be both.

Petroskey had other issues besides the Bull Durham incident and him being gone is a Good Thing.

Ultimately, I attribute it to paranoia, because I don't think that Sarandon and Robbins would be stupid enough to talk about politics at an event honoring a baseball movie.

[Captain Cold Nose]

I've always been curious if Petroskey had any part in how his friend George W. Bush made it on the HOF VC ballot. Regardless of what one thinks of our current sitting President, his short tenure as Rangers owner was without anything memorable happening and certainly did not warrant having his name forwarded as a finalist. If this was done in the act of cronyism the HOF is far better off without him. Even if somehow Bush made the ballot via legit means, it's just one more embarrassment during his tenure as HOF President.

I don't blame Pretoskey for his paranoia over Sarandon and Robbins, they've used non-political venues as soapboxes before. But all I've heard is he didn't even bother approach either actor to not use the movie celebration as a soapbox for their views. He simply cancelled without recourse.

[sturg1dj]

I've always been curious if Petroskey had any part in how his friend George W. Bush made it on the HOF VC ballot. Regardless of what one thinks of our current sitting President, his short tenure as Rangers owner was without anything memorable happening and certainly did not warrant having his name forwarded as a finalist. If this was done in the act of cronyism the HOF is far better off without him. Even if somehow Bush made the ballot via legit means, it's just one more embarrassment during his tenure as HOF President.

I don't blame Pretoskey for his paranoia over Sarandon and Robbins, they've used non-political venues as soapboxes before. But all I've heard is he didn't even bother approach either actor to not use the movie celebration as a soapbox for their views. He simply cancelled without recourse.

Bush did a lot...he traded Sammy Sosa and partially owned a team that not only took land away from other to build a tax financed stadium (and ended up making a huge profit) but also got to see such stars play as Jose Canseco, Ivan Rodriguez, Rafael Palemeiro...wait, what do they in common?

[PeteF3]

I don't blame Pretoskey for his paranoia over Sarandon and Robbins, they've used non-political venues as soapboxes before. But all I've heard is he didn't even bother approach either actor to not use the movie celebration as a soapbox for their views.

Like...when?

[Captain Cold Nose]

Like...when?

At least one awards show (MTV?) where they mentioned a couple different things, then went on to present whatever award they were presenting. The host, I think it was Eddie Murphy, made a joke of it. And Saturday Night Live would later spoof the two. Janeane Garafolo, a Hollywood activist herself, played Sarandon.

Regardless, and I'm not judging one way or another, you're right, Petroskey had other issues and his leaving is a good thing.

[Pere]

Maybe Robbins or Sarandon would have said something "political," maybe not. I don't think it would have been the end of the world, or even of the Hall, if they had. Bull Durham probably isn't my favorite baseball movie, but it's pretty good. They've done plenty for baseball, and if they had wanted to express some opinions as American citizens , I can't see what the harm would be. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have gotten the attention that Petroskey's cancellation got. For that matter, Petroskey could have taken the microphone after them and said his piece too , if he had to.

In any case, Petroskey cancelled on them--and on everyone who wanted to attend the event--not because he didn't want to politicize a baseball event, but because he personally disagreed with the content of the political speech that he anticipated. Some patriot.

[west coast orange and black]

ccn: Regardless of what one thinks of our current sitting President, his short tenure as Rangers owner was without anything memorable happening and certainly did not warrant having his name forwarded as a finalist.

what 1.8% ownership is worth, at times, eh?

[Mr. Grission]

Bush was on the Veterans Committee ballot???

[KCGHOST]

Petroskey had every right to be concerned about Robbins and Sarandon using a non-political event as a forum to spout their views. He can be criticized for the crude way in which he handled this matter but his concern was legitimate.

[PeteF3]

There was one guy involved in that sorry episode who made it a political issue. And it wasn't somebody named "Tim" or "Susan."

[west coast orange and black]

kcghost: [Selig] can be criticized for the crude way in which he handled this matter but his concern was legitimate.

"concern" for the celebration of the b-rate movie bull durham. how rich!

[PeteF3]

Bull Durham is awesome.

Field of Dreams...that's a b-rate movie. Same with The Natural.