Fay Vincent
Encyclopedia
Francis Thomas "Fay" Vincent, Jr. (born May 29, 1938) is a former entertainment lawyer and sports executive who served as the eighth Commissioner of Major League Baseball
from September 13, 1989
to September 7, 1992
.
as well as football
. However, his life changed forever when a near-fatal accident in college crushed one of his legs. He had been locked inside his Williams College
dorm room as a prank; climbing out onto the roof to escape, he slipped off the ledge, which was four stories high. Suffering a crushed spine and paralyzed legs, Vincent spent three months in a form of traction. He overcame his initial diagnosis, which was that he would never walk. But Vincent's leg has never fully recovered and he has been relegated to the use of a cane.
Vincent is a graduate of The Hotchkiss School, Williams College
, (class of 1960), which he attended on a full academic scholarship and from which graduated with honors, and Yale Law School
(class of 1963).
After graduating from law school, Vincent was a partner in the Washington, D.C.
law firm of Caplin & Drysdale. He also served as Associate Director of the Division of Corporation Finance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Vincent was the chairman of Columbia Pictures
(beginning in 1978
) and the vice chairman of Coca-Cola
(beginning in March 1982). In April 1986, he was promoted to the position of Executive Vice President of the Coca-Cola Company, which placed him in charge over all of the company's entertainment activities.
, Vincent accepted the position of deputy commissioner. He became the eighth commissioner of baseball following Giamatti's death on September 1, 1989. In his first year as commmissioner, he presided over the 1989 World Series
, which was interrupted by the Loma Prieta earthquake; the owners' lockout
during Spring Training
of the 1990
season; and the expulsion of New York Yankees
owner George Steinbrenner
from the game. Before accepting the job as Commissioner of Baseball, Vincent consulted with Giamatti's widow, Toni, to make sure she thought it was appropriate for him to do so.
In 1990
, National League president Bill White was prepared to suspend umpire Joe West for slamming Philadelphia
pitcher Dennis Cook
to the field, but Vincent intervened and no discipline was imposed.
On September 4, 1991 the Committee for Statistical Accuracy, appointed by Vincent, changed the definition of a no-hitter to require that a pitcher throw at least nine full innings and a complete game. Since New York Yankee
Andy Hawkins
(who never gave up a hit during a game against the Chicago White Sox
on July 1, 1990, despite the White Sox winning the game 4-0) played for the visiting team, the White Sox never batted in the ninth inning and Hawkins lost the credit for a no-hitter.
Also during his commissionership, Vincent made it known (e.g. while being interviewed by Pat O'Brien
during CBS' coverage of Game 4 of the 1991 World Series
) that if he had the chance, he would get rid of the designated hitter
rule.
Vincent has also been connected with Pete Rose
's lifetime banishment from baseball; however, Rose's banishment began while Giamatti was commissioner (although Vincent led the investigation and was involved in the negotiations). Vincent has publicly said he does not support Rose's reinstatement. In the 2004 made for television movie about the Rose affair entitled Hustle, Vincent was portrayed by actor Alan Jordan.
at San Francisco
's Candlestick Park. At 5:04 p.m., just prior to Game 3 of the World Series between the San Francisco Giants
and Oakland Athletics
, the Loma Prieta earthquake
(which measured 7.1 on the Richter scale
) hit. At approximately 5:35 p.m., after coming to the conclusion that the power couldn't be restored before sunset, Vincent ordered the game to be postponed. According to Vincent, he had already made the decision to postpone Game 3 without telling anybody first. As a result, the umpires filed a form of protest of Vincent's decision. However, the game had to be postponed due to trouble with gas lines as well as the power issue.
The World Series ultimately resumed after a ten day postponement (and some initial conflict between Vincent and San Francisco mayor Art Agnos
, who felt that the World Series ought to have been delayed much longer) on October 27, 1989. While presenting the World Series Trophy
to the Athletics, who wound up winning the World Series in a four game sweep, Vincent summed up the 1989 World Series as a "Remarkable World Series in many respects."
Executive Director Donald Fehr
became afraid that the owners would institute a salary cap
. Fehr believed that a salary cap could possibly restrict the number of choices free agents could make and a pay-for-performance scale would eliminate multiyear contracts. The lockout, which was the seventh work stoppage in baseball since 1972
, lasted 32 games and wiped out all of spring training.
Vincent worked with both the owners and MLBPA, and on March 19, 1990, Vincent was able to announce a new Basic Agreement (which raised the minimum major league salary from $
68,000 to $100,000 and established a six-man study committee on revenue sharing). As a consequence for the lockout, Opening Day for the 1990
season was moved back a week to April 9, and the season was extended by three days to accommodate the normal 162-game schedule.
, Vincent banned New York Yankees
owner George Steinbrenner
from baseball for life after Steinbrenner paid Howie Spira, a small-time gambler, $40,000 for "dirt" on his outfielder Dave Winfield
after Winfield sued Steinbrenner for failing to pay his foundation the $300,000 guaranteed in his contract. Steinbrenner was eventually reinstated in 1993
(one year after Vincent left office).
Per Fay Vincent's interview on WFAN
(NY) on July 14, 2010 (the day after Steinbrenner died), Vincent had wanted to suspend Steinbrenner for only two years. It was Steinbrenner who asked for a life-time ban as he was tired of baseball and wanted to help run the US Olympic effort. Steinbrenner knew he could not run the Olympic effort if he was suspended, so he asked for a life-time ban, which he received. Steinbrenner then applied for (and received) reinstatement after two years.
, Vincent permanently suspended pitcher Steve Howe
for repeated drug offenses. Vincent was incensed when upper Yankee management (Buck Showalter
, Gene Michael, and Jack Lawn) agreed to testify on Howe's behalf, and threatened them with expulsion from the game:
The three men were unaffected by Vincent's hyperbole, testified for Howe as promised, and remained active in baseball. Three months later, Vincent was removed from his job as commissioner. An arbitrator overturned Vincent's suspension of Howe on November 11, 1992.
:
, Vincent declared that the American League
would receive $
42 million of the National League
's $190 million in expansion revenue and that the AL would provide players in the National League expansion draft (involving the Colorado Rockies
and Florida Marlins
). In an attempt to win support in the American League and balance the vote, Vincent decreed that the AL owners were entitled to 22 percent of the $190 million take. This decision marked the first time in expansion history that leagues were required to share expansion revenue or provide players for another league's expansion draft. Vincent said the owners expanded to raise money to pay their collusion
debt.
and St. Louis Cardinals
to move from the Eastern Division
to the Western Division
. The Cincinnati Reds
and Atlanta Braves
, who had been a geographic mistake ever since Major League Baseball realigned in 1969
, would move to the Eastern Division. National League president Bill White warned Vincent that realigning without league approval would be in violation of the National League Constitution.
Many thought this plan would be beneficial to the league as a whole, especially by building a regional rivalry between the new franchise in Miami
and the Atlanta Braves. The Cubs, however, opposed the move, suggesting that fans in the Central Time Zone
would be forced to watch more games originating on the West Coast with later broadcast times (had the realignment included the use of a balanced schedule, the Cubs would have actually played more games against teams outside their division).
On July 17, 1992
, the Chicago Cubs sued Vincent and asked the U.S. District Court
in Chicago for a preliminary injunction
to prevent implementation, which was granted two weeks later. After Vincent's attorneys appealed, oral arguments were scheduled for August 30 of that year. Ultimately, Vincent resigned before the litigation was scheduled to resume, so as a result, the Cubs dropped their suit.
Although Vincent's vision never really came into fruition, Major League Baseball did in fact realign in 1994
, albeit in the form of three divisions in each league, and the addition of an expanded playoff format.
after the owners gave him an 18–9 no confidence vote. The owners were still angry at Vincent over his intervention during the 1990 lockout. The owners were also disappointed by dwindling television ratings
in light of a $
1.2 billion, four year deal with CBS
(which ultimately cost the network approximately $500 million) beginning in 1990
(Vincent's first full season as commissioner) and upwardly spiraling salaries. (It is also important to note that CBS itself contributed to decreasing ratings thanks to the haphazard scheduling of Game of the Week
broadcasts during the regular season to the point that fans grew tired of tuning into no baseball on summer Saturdays.) They also accused him of acting in a high-handed manner, especially in the Howe affair.
The leaders in the movement to oust Vincent were members of what The Sporting News
later dubbed The Great Lakes
Gang:
In his farewell, Vincent said
He was replaced by Milwaukee Brewers
owner Bud Selig
, whose family continued to maintain ownership over the Brewers. Fay Vincent was never able to complete the five year term that he had inherited from Bart Giamatti. Vincent would later contend that Major League Baseball made a huge mistake by not appointing his deputy commissioner Steve Greenberg — the son of the Hall of Famer Hank Greenberg
— as the commissioner.
. Vincent would serve as the NECBL’s president from 1998 to 2003.
In 2001
, when baseball owners voted to contract two clubs, Vincent criticized them for not consulting the players' union. In 2002
, Vincent wrote his autobiography entitled The Last Commissioner: A Baseball Valentine.
In 2005
, during an interview Fox Sports Radio
, Vincent shared his thoughts on the controversy surrounding Texas Rangers
pitcher Kenny Rogers
, who received a 20-game suspension for a tirade directed at two TV cameramen. Vincent believed that Rogers, who had a record of 9–4 with 2.45 ERA
at the time of the incident, shouldn't have been allowed to play in the All-Star Game
in Detroit
. Vincent said
Fay Vincent has also been critical of Major League Baseball's handling of the dreaded strike in 1994. Some observers feel that Vincent's absence (or any other permanent commissioner at the time) could have been a decisive turn in finding a compromise agreement. While being interviewed for ESPN Classic
's SportsCentury
(about the year in sports in 1994
), Vincent believed that the strike turned out to be a lost cause since the end result was federal judge Sonia Sotomayor
ruling that work had to resume under the previous collective bargaining agreement
. Vincent has hinted that he believes that the strike was instigated by the owners (including his successor Bud Selig) who were frustrated by their diminishing power over the MLBPA
. Vincent strongly believes that the cancellation of the World Series in 1994
(the first time that there wasn't a World Series played in 90 years) was a major mistake.
In March 2006, Vincent called on baseball to investigate (similar to the Dowd Report
surrounding Pete Rose) possible steroids use by Barry Bonds
, saying the cloud hanging over his pursuit of the home run record is a crisis akin to the Black Sox scandal
from 1919
.
Vincent wrote in the April 24, 2006
issue of Sports Illustrated
, that with most of Bonds' official troubles being off the field, and with the strength of the players' union
, there was little Bud Selig could do beyond appointing an investigating committee. Vincent said that Selig is largely "an observer of a forum beyond his reach."
Fay Vincent also believes that the only franchises in Major League Baseball to have a chance to win are the ones that have their own regional sports network
s. Vincent has credited Atlanta Braves
owner Ted Turner
as one of the first to capitalize on this.
On October 18, 2007, Vincent appeared with sportscaster Bob Costas
at Williams College
for "A Conversation About Sports", moderated by Will Dudley, Associate Professor of Philosophy.
On May 28, 1992, Vincent was awarded an honorary doctoral degree at Central Connecticut State University
. On May 18, 2008, Fairfield University
conferred an honorary Doctor of Laws degree on Mr. Vincent where he served on the Board of Trustees from 1991 to 2002; and he created the need-based Alice Lynch Vincent Scholarship Fund in memory of his mother in December 1996.
Articles
Commissioner of Baseball
The Commissioner of Baseball is the chief executive of Major League Baseball and its associated minor leagues. Under the direction of the Commissioner, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball hires and maintains the sport's umpiring crews, and negotiates marketing, labor, and television contracts...
from September 13, 1989
1989 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Oakland Athletics over San Francisco Giants ; Dave Stewart, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Rickey Henderson*National League Championship Series MVP: Will Clark...
to September 7, 1992
1992 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Toronto Blue Jays over Atlanta Braves ; Pat Borders, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Roberto Alomar*National League Championship Series MVP: John Smoltz...
.
Early life and career
Vincent was an exceptional athlete as a young man, showing talent in track and fieldTrack and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
as well as football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
. However, his life changed forever when a near-fatal accident in college crushed one of his legs. He had been locked inside his Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
dorm room as a prank; climbing out onto the roof to escape, he slipped off the ledge, which was four stories high. Suffering a crushed spine and paralyzed legs, Vincent spent three months in a form of traction. He overcame his initial diagnosis, which was that he would never walk. But Vincent's leg has never fully recovered and he has been relegated to the use of a cane.
Vincent is a graduate of The Hotchkiss School, Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
, (class of 1960), which he attended on a full academic scholarship and from which graduated with honors, and Yale Law School
Yale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
(class of 1963).
After graduating from law school, Vincent was a partner in the Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
law firm of Caplin & Drysdale. He also served as Associate Director of the Division of Corporation Finance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Vincent was the chairman of Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
(beginning in 1978
1978 in film
The year 1978 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 1 - Bob Dylan's film Renaldo and Clara, a documentary of the "Rolling Thunder Revue" tour premieres in Los Angeles, California....
) and the vice chairman of Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
(beginning in March 1982). In April 1986, he was promoted to the position of Executive Vice President of the Coca-Cola Company, which placed him in charge over all of the company's entertainment activities.
Commissioner of Baseball
At the behest of his longtime friend, incoming Commissioner of Baseball Bart GiamattiA. Bartlett Giamatti
Angelo Bartlett "Bart" Giamatti was the president of Yale University and later the seventh Commissioner of Major League Baseball. Giamatti negotiated the agreement that terminated the Pete Rose betting scandal by permitting Rose to voluntarily withdraw from the sport, avoiding further...
, Vincent accepted the position of deputy commissioner. He became the eighth commissioner of baseball following Giamatti's death on September 1, 1989. In his first year as commmissioner, he presided over the 1989 World Series
1989 World Series
†: Game 3 was originally slated for October 17 at 5:35 pm; however, it was postponed when an earthquake occurred at 5:04 pm.-Game 1:Saturday, October 14, 1989 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California...
, which was interrupted by the Loma Prieta earthquake; the owners' lockout
1990 Major League Baseball lockout
The 1990 Major League Baseball lockout was the seventh work stoppage in baseball since 1972. Beginning in February, it lasted 32 days and as a result, virtually wiped out all of spring training. Also because of the lockout, Opening Day was moved back a week to April 9...
during Spring Training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
of the 1990
1990 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over Oakland Athletics ; José Rijo, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP Dave Stewart*National League Championship Series co-MVPs: Rob Dibble and Randy Myers...
season; and the expulsion of New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
owner George Steinbrenner
George Steinbrenner
George Michael Steinbrenner III was an American businessman who was the principal owner and managing partner of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees. During Steinbrenner's 37-year ownership from 1973 to his death in July 2010, the longest in club history, the Yankees earned seven World Series...
from the game. Before accepting the job as Commissioner of Baseball, Vincent consulted with Giamatti's widow, Toni, to make sure she thought it was appropriate for him to do so.
In 1990
1990 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over Oakland Athletics ; José Rijo, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP Dave Stewart*National League Championship Series co-MVPs: Rob Dibble and Randy Myers...
, National League president Bill White was prepared to suspend umpire Joe West for slamming Philadelphia
1990 Philadelphia Phillies season
-Offseason:* October 11, 1989: Steve Stanicek was released by the Phillies.* December 4, 1989: Rule 5 draft**Sil Campusano was drafted by the Phillies from the Toronto Blue Jays in the .**Gordon Dillard was drafted from the Phillies by the Pittsburgh Pirates....
pitcher Dennis Cook
Dennis Cook
Dennis Bryan Cook is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball with nine teams from 1988 to 2002: the San Francisco Giants , Philadelphia Phillies , Los Angeles Dodgers , Cleveland Indians , Chicago White Sox , Texas Rangers ,...
to the field, but Vincent intervened and no discipline was imposed.
On September 4, 1991 the Committee for Statistical Accuracy, appointed by Vincent, changed the definition of a no-hitter to require that a pitcher throw at least nine full innings and a complete game. Since New York Yankee
1990 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees' 1990 season was the 88th season for the Yankees. The team finished in seventh place in the American League East with a record of 67-95, finishing 21 games behind the Boston Red Sox. It was the Yankees' first last-place finish in 24 years, and the first in the two-division era....
Andy Hawkins
Andy Hawkins
Melton Andrew "Andy" Hawkins is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.A right-handed starter, Hawkins spent most of his career with the San Diego Padres, and also played for the New York Yankees and briefly for the Oakland Athletics...
(who never gave up a hit during a game against the Chicago White Sox
1990 Chicago White Sox season
The 1990 Chicago White Sox season was the White Sox's 91st season. They finished with a record 94-68, good enough for 2nd place in the American League West, 9 games behind of the 1st place Oakland Athletics, as the White Sox played their final season at Comiskey Park before moving to the new...
on July 1, 1990, despite the White Sox winning the game 4-0) played for the visiting team, the White Sox never batted in the ninth inning and Hawkins lost the credit for a no-hitter.
Also during his commissionership, Vincent made it known (e.g. while being interviewed by Pat O'Brien
Pat O'Brien (television)
Pat O'Brien is currently a radio host with Fox Sports Radio as well as an author. He is best known for his time as a sportscaster with CBS Sports and as anchor/host of Access Hollywood and The Insider .O'Brien covered five Olympic Games, two for CBS...
during CBS' coverage of Game 4 of the 1991 World Series
1991 World Series
The 1991 World Series pitted the Minnesota Twins of the American League against the Atlanta Braves of the National League. The series was played from Saturday, October 19 to Sunday, October 27....
) that if he had the chance, he would get rid of the designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
rule.
Vincent has also been connected with Pete Rose
Pete Rose
Peter Edward Rose , nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989....
's lifetime banishment from baseball; however, Rose's banishment began while Giamatti was commissioner (although Vincent led the investigation and was involved in the negotiations). Vincent has publicly said he does not support Rose's reinstatement. In the 2004 made for television movie about the Rose affair entitled Hustle, Vincent was portrayed by actor Alan Jordan.
1989 World Series
On October 17, 1989, Vincent sat in a field box behind the left dugoutDugout (baseball)
In baseball, the dugout is a team's bench area and is located in foul territory between home plate and either first or third base. There are two dugouts, one for the home team and one for the visiting team. In general, the dugout is occupied by all players not prescribed to be on the field at that...
at San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
's Candlestick Park. At 5:04 p.m., just prior to Game 3 of the World Series between the San Francisco Giants
1989 San Francisco Giants season
The 1989 San Francisco Giants season saw the Giants finish in first place in the National League West with a record of 92 wins and 70 losses. It was their second division title in three years. The Giants defeated the Chicago Cubs in five games in the National League Championship Series...
and Oakland Athletics
1989 Oakland Athletics season
The Oakland Athletics season saw the A's finish in first place in the American League West division, with a record of 99 wins and 63 losses, seven games in front of the Kansas City Royals. It was their second consecutive AL West title, as well as the second straight year in which they finished...
, the Loma Prieta earthquake
Loma Prieta earthquake
The Loma Prieta earthquake, also known as the Quake of '89 and the World Series Earthquake, was a major earthquake that struck the San Francisco Bay Area of California on October 17, 1989, at 5:04 p.m. local time...
(which measured 7.1 on the Richter scale
Richter magnitude scale
The expression Richter magnitude scale refers to a number of ways to assign a single number to quantify the energy contained in an earthquake....
) hit. At approximately 5:35 p.m., after coming to the conclusion that the power couldn't be restored before sunset, Vincent ordered the game to be postponed. According to Vincent, he had already made the decision to postpone Game 3 without telling anybody first. As a result, the umpires filed a form of protest of Vincent's decision. However, the game had to be postponed due to trouble with gas lines as well as the power issue.
The World Series ultimately resumed after a ten day postponement (and some initial conflict between Vincent and San Francisco mayor Art Agnos
Arthur Christ Agnos
Arthur Christ Agnos is an American politician. He served as the 39th mayor of San Francisco, California from 1988 to 1992, and the Regional Head of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development from 1993 – 2001....
, who felt that the World Series ought to have been delayed much longer) on October 27, 1989. While presenting the World Series Trophy
World Series Trophy
The Commissioner's Trophy is presented each year by the Commissioner of Baseball to the Major League Baseball team that wins the World Series. Recent trophy designs contain flags representing each team in North America's top two leagues, the National League and the American League...
to the Athletics, who wound up winning the World Series in a four game sweep, Vincent summed up the 1989 World Series as a "Remarkable World Series in many respects."
1990 lockout
In February 1990, owners announced that spring training would not be starting as scheduled. This occurred after MLBPAMajor League Baseball Players Association
The Major League Baseball Players Association is the union of professional major-league baseball players.-History of MLBPA:The MLBPA was not the first attempt to unionize baseball players...
Executive Director Donald Fehr
Donald Fehr
Donald M. Fehr is the executive director of the National Hockey League Players Association. He previously served as the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association from 1986-2009....
became afraid that the owners would institute a salary cap
Salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
. Fehr believed that a salary cap could possibly restrict the number of choices free agents could make and a pay-for-performance scale would eliminate multiyear contracts. The lockout, which was the seventh work stoppage in baseball since 1972
1972 in baseball
-Labor strife and more moving:1972 was tainted by a players' strike over pension and salary arbitration. The strike erased the first week and a half of the season, and the Leagues decided to just excise the lost portion of the season with no makeups. As a result, an uneven number of games were...
, lasted 32 games and wiped out all of spring training.
Vincent worked with both the owners and MLBPA, and on March 19, 1990, Vincent was able to announce a new Basic Agreement (which raised the minimum major league salary from $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
68,000 to $100,000 and established a six-man study committee on revenue sharing). As a consequence for the lockout, Opening Day for the 1990
1990 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over Oakland Athletics ; José Rijo, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP Dave Stewart*National League Championship Series co-MVPs: Rob Dibble and Randy Myers...
season was moved back a week to April 9, and the season was extended by three days to accommodate the normal 162-game schedule.
George Steinbrenner
On July 30, 19901990 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over Oakland Athletics ; José Rijo, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP Dave Stewart*National League Championship Series co-MVPs: Rob Dibble and Randy Myers...
, Vincent banned New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
owner George Steinbrenner
George Steinbrenner
George Michael Steinbrenner III was an American businessman who was the principal owner and managing partner of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees. During Steinbrenner's 37-year ownership from 1973 to his death in July 2010, the longest in club history, the Yankees earned seven World Series...
from baseball for life after Steinbrenner paid Howie Spira, a small-time gambler, $40,000 for "dirt" on his outfielder Dave Winfield
Dave Winfield
David Mark Winfield is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is currently Executive Vice President/Senior Advisor of the San Diego Padres and an analyst for the ESPN program Baseball Tonight...
after Winfield sued Steinbrenner for failing to pay his foundation the $300,000 guaranteed in his contract. Steinbrenner was eventually reinstated in 1993
1993 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Toronto Blue Jays over Philadelphia Phillies ; Paul Molitor, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Dave Stewart*National League Championship Series MVP: Curt Schilling...
(one year after Vincent left office).
Per Fay Vincent's interview on WFAN
WFAN
WFAN , also known as "Sports Radio 66" or "The FAN", is a radio station in New York City. The station broadcasts on a clear channel and is owned by CBS Radio...
(NY) on July 14, 2010 (the day after Steinbrenner died), Vincent had wanted to suspend Steinbrenner for only two years. It was Steinbrenner who asked for a life-time ban as he was tired of baseball and wanted to help run the US Olympic effort. Steinbrenner knew he could not run the Olympic effort if he was suspended, so he asked for a life-time ban, which he received. Steinbrenner then applied for (and received) reinstatement after two years.
Steve Howe
On June 24, 19921992 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Toronto Blue Jays over Atlanta Braves ; Pat Borders, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Roberto Alomar*National League Championship Series MVP: John Smoltz...
, Vincent permanently suspended pitcher Steve Howe
Steve Howe (baseball player)
Steven Roy Howe was an American left-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who spent most of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees....
for repeated drug offenses. Vincent was incensed when upper Yankee management (Buck Showalter
Buck Showalter
William Nathaniel "Buck" Showalter III is an American Major League Baseball manager for the Baltimore Orioles. He has previously served in a similar capacity with the New York Yankees , Arizona Diamondbacks , and Texas Rangers...
, Gene Michael, and Jack Lawn) agreed to testify on Howe's behalf, and threatened them with expulsion from the game:
The three men were unaffected by Vincent's hyperbole, testified for Howe as promised, and remained active in baseball. Three months later, Vincent was removed from his job as commissioner. An arbitrator overturned Vincent's suspension of Howe on November 11, 1992.
Collusion
Fay Vincent on the effects of collusionBaseball collusion
Baseball collusion refers to owners working together to avoid competitive bidding for player services or players jointly negotiating with team owners....
:
1993 expansion
In June 19911991 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Minnesota Twins over Atlanta Braves ; Jack Morris, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Kirby Puckett*National League Championship Series MVP: Steve Avery...
, Vincent declared that the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
would receive $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
42 million of the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
's $190 million in expansion revenue and that the AL would provide players in the National League expansion draft (involving the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
and Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
). In an attempt to win support in the American League and balance the vote, Vincent decreed that the AL owners were entitled to 22 percent of the $190 million take. This decision marked the first time in expansion history that leagues were required to share expansion revenue or provide players for another league's expansion draft. Vincent said the owners expanded to raise money to pay their collusion
Baseball collusion
Baseball collusion refers to owners working together to avoid competitive bidding for player services or players jointly negotiating with team owners....
debt.
Realignment
Just prior to leaving office, Vincent had plans to realign the National League. Vincent wanted the Chicago CubsChicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
and St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
to move from the Eastern Division
National League East
The National League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are tied for the most National League East Division titles . All of Atlanta's NL East titles came during a record stretch of 14 consecutive division titles...
to the Western Division
National League West
The National League Western Division, or NL West, is one of the three divisions of Major League Baseball's National League. It was created in 1969 when the previously undivided National League expanded its membership to twelve teams, positioning half of them in an Eastern division and the other...
. The Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
and Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, who had been a geographic mistake ever since Major League Baseball realigned in 1969
1969 in baseball
-Expansion:Four expansion teams joined Major League Baseball for this season: the San Diego Padres, the Kansas City Royals, the Seattle Pilots, and the first MLB team in Canada, the Montreal Expos. To accommodate the additional teams, the two leagues were split into two divisions of East and West...
, would move to the Eastern Division. National League president Bill White warned Vincent that realigning without league approval would be in violation of the National League Constitution.
Many thought this plan would be beneficial to the league as a whole, especially by building a regional rivalry between the new franchise in Miami
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
and the Atlanta Braves. The Cubs, however, opposed the move, suggesting that fans in the Central Time Zone
Central Time zone
In North America, the Central Time Zone refers to national time zones which observe standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC , and daylight saving, or summer time by subtracting five hours...
would be forced to watch more games originating on the West Coast with later broadcast times (had the realignment included the use of a balanced schedule, the Cubs would have actually played more games against teams outside their division).
On July 17, 1992
1992 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Toronto Blue Jays over Atlanta Braves ; Pat Borders, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Roberto Alomar*National League Championship Series MVP: John Smoltz...
, the Chicago Cubs sued Vincent and asked the U.S. District Court
United States district court
The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty. There is a United States bankruptcy court associated with each United States...
in Chicago for a preliminary injunction
Injunction
An injunction is an equitable remedy in the form of a court order that requires a party to do or refrain from doing certain acts. A party that fails to comply with an injunction faces criminal or civil penalties and may have to pay damages or accept sanctions...
to prevent implementation, which was granted two weeks later. After Vincent's attorneys appealed, oral arguments were scheduled for August 30 of that year. Ultimately, Vincent resigned before the litigation was scheduled to resume, so as a result, the Cubs dropped their suit.
Although Vincent's vision never really came into fruition, Major League Baseball did in fact realign in 1994
1994 in baseball
-Headline events of the year:As a result of a players' strike, the MLB season ends prematurely on August 11, 1994. No postseason is played...
, albeit in the form of three divisions in each league, and the addition of an expanded playoff format.
Vincent's relationship with the owners
His relationship with baseball's owners was always tenuous at best; he resigned in 19921992 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Toronto Blue Jays over Atlanta Braves ; Pat Borders, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Roberto Alomar*National League Championship Series MVP: John Smoltz...
after the owners gave him an 18–9 no confidence vote. The owners were still angry at Vincent over his intervention during the 1990 lockout. The owners were also disappointed by dwindling television ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
in light of a $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
1.2 billion, four year deal with CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
(which ultimately cost the network approximately $500 million) beginning in 1990
1990 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over Oakland Athletics ; José Rijo, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP Dave Stewart*National League Championship Series co-MVPs: Rob Dibble and Randy Myers...
(Vincent's first full season as commissioner) and upwardly spiraling salaries. (It is also important to note that CBS itself contributed to decreasing ratings thanks to the haphazard scheduling of Game of the Week
Major League Baseball Game of the Week
The Major League Baseball Game of the Week is the de facto title for over-the-air, nationally televised coverage of regular season Major League Baseball games...
broadcasts during the regular season to the point that fans grew tired of tuning into no baseball on summer Saturdays.) They also accused him of acting in a high-handed manner, especially in the Howe affair.
The leaders in the movement to oust Vincent were members of what The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
later dubbed The Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
Gang:
- Bud SeligBud SeligAllan Huber "Bud" Selig is the ninth and current Commissioner of Major League Baseball, having served in that capacity since 1992 as the acting commissioner, and as the official commissioner since 1998...
, president of the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
; - Jerry ReinsdorfJerry ReinsdorfJerry M. Reinsdorf is a CPA, lawyer and an owner of the MLB's Chicago White Sox and the NBA's Chicago Bulls. He started his professional life as a tax attorney with the Internal Revenue Service. He has been the head of the White Sox and Bulls for over 20 years.He made his initial fortune in real...
, chairman of the Chicago White SoxChicago White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
; - Stanton Cook, head of the Tribune Co.Tribune CompanyThe Tribune Company is a large American multimedia corporation based in Chicago, Illinois. It is the nation's second-largest newspaper publisher, with ten daily newspapers and commuter tabloids including Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Hartford Courant, Orlando Sentinel, South Florida...
, which owned the Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
; - Carl PohladCarl PohladCarl R. Pohlad was a successful financier and the owner of the Minnesota Twins baseball franchise from 1984 until his death in 2009.-Early life:...
, owner of the Minnesota TwinsMinnesota TwinsThe Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
; - Peter O'MalleyPeter O'MalleyPeter O'Malley is the former president and owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers of American Major League Baseball.-Biography:...
, the longtime majority owner of the Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles DodgersThe Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
In his farewell, Vincent said
He was replaced by Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
owner Bud Selig
Bud Selig
Allan Huber "Bud" Selig is the ninth and current Commissioner of Major League Baseball, having served in that capacity since 1992 as the acting commissioner, and as the official commissioner since 1998...
, whose family continued to maintain ownership over the Brewers. Fay Vincent was never able to complete the five year term that he had inherited from Bart Giamatti. Vincent would later contend that Major League Baseball made a huge mistake by not appointing his deputy commissioner Steve Greenberg — the son of the Hall of Famer Hank Greenberg
Hank Greenberg
Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank" or "The Hebrew Hammer," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s. A first baseman primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation...
— as the commissioner.
Life after baseball
After stepping down from the commissioner's office, Vincent became a private investor and the president of the New England Collegiate Baseball LeagueNew England Collegiate Baseball League
The New England Collegiate Baseball League is a 12-team collegiate summer baseball league founded in 1993 and sanctioned by the NCAA and Major League Baseball. Each NECBL team plays an eight-week, 42-game schedule during June and July, with a playoff in early August...
. Vincent would serve as the NECBL’s president from 1998 to 2003.
In 2001
2001 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - Arizona Diamondbacks*Postseason - October 9 to November 4Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
, when baseball owners voted to contract two clubs, Vincent criticized them for not consulting the players' union. In 2002
2002 in literature
The year 2002 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*March 16: Authorities in Saudi Arabia arrested and jailed poet Abdul Mohsen Musalam and fired a newspaper editor following the publication of Musalam's poem The Corrupt on Earth that criticized the state's Islamic...
, Vincent wrote his autobiography entitled The Last Commissioner: A Baseball Valentine.
In 2005
2005 in baseball
-Headline events of the year:*Chicago White Sox swept the Houston Astros to win the 2005 World Series.*2005 also marked the inaugural season of the Washington Nationals, who relocated from Montreal and were formerly known as the Expos....
, during an interview Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio, abbreviated FSR, is an international radio network consisting of sports talk programming. The network is a service of Premiere Networks...
, Vincent shared his thoughts on the controversy surrounding Texas Rangers
2005 Texas Rangers season
The Texas Rangers finished the 2005 season in 3rd place in the West division of the American League. The Rangers had four players in the 2005 All-Star Game. Michael Young, Kenny Rogers, Alfonso Soriano, and Mark Teixeira. Young was also the A.L...
pitcher Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers (baseball player)
Kenneth Scott Rogers is a former American Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 20-year baseball career, he pitched from 1989-2008 for six different teams. In addition to being known for his fielding , he pitched the fourteenth perfect game in major league baseball history...
, who received a 20-game suspension for a tirade directed at two TV cameramen. Vincent believed that Rogers, who had a record of 9–4 with 2.45 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
at the time of the incident, shouldn't have been allowed to play in the All-Star Game
2005 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2005 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 76th playing of the midseason exhibition baseball game between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 12, 2005 at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan,...
in Detroit
Comerica Park
Comerica Park is an open-air ballpark located in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It serves as the home of the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball's American League, replacing historic Tiger Stadium in 2000....
. Vincent said
Fay Vincent has also been critical of Major League Baseball's handling of the dreaded strike in 1994. Some observers feel that Vincent's absence (or any other permanent commissioner at the time) could have been a decisive turn in finding a compromise agreement. While being interviewed for ESPN Classic
ESPN Classic
ESPN Classic is a sports channel that features reruns of famous sporting events, sports documentaries, and sports themed movies. Such programs includes biographies of famous sports figures or a rerun of a famous World Series or Super Bowl, often with added commentary on the event...
's SportsCentury
SportsCentury
SportsCentury is an ESPN biography program that reviews the people and athletic events that defined sports in North America throughout the 20th and 21st centuries....
(about the year in sports in 1994
1994 in sports
1994 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* January 29 – death of Ulrike Maier , Austrian skier, who broke her neck when she crashed during a World Cup downhill race at Garmisch-Partenkirchen...
), Vincent believed that the strike turned out to be a lost cause since the end result was federal judge Sonia Sotomayor
Sonia Sotomayor
Sonia Maria Sotomayor is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, serving since August 2009. Sotomayor is the Court's 111th justice, its first Hispanic justice, and its third female justice....
ruling that work had to resume under the previous collective bargaining agreement
Collective bargaining
Collective bargaining is a process of negotiations between employers and the representatives of a unit of employees aimed at reaching agreements that regulate working conditions...
. Vincent has hinted that he believes that the strike was instigated by the owners (including his successor Bud Selig) who were frustrated by their diminishing power over the MLBPA
Major League Baseball Players Association
The Major League Baseball Players Association is the union of professional major-league baseball players.-History of MLBPA:The MLBPA was not the first attempt to unionize baseball players...
. Vincent strongly believes that the cancellation of the World Series in 1994
1994 World Series
The 1994 World Series was canceled on September 14 of that year due to an ongoing strike by the Major League Baseball Players Association, which had begun on August 12...
(the first time that there wasn't a World Series played in 90 years) was a major mistake.
In March 2006, Vincent called on baseball to investigate (similar to the Dowd Report
Dowd Report
The Dowd Report is the document describing the transgressions of baseball player Pete Rose in betting on baseball, which precipitated his agreement to a lifetime suspension from the sport in the United States. The 225-page report was prepared by Special Counsel to the Commissioner, John M. Dowd,...
surrounding Pete Rose) possible steroids use by Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds
Barry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds...
, saying the cloud hanging over his pursuit of the home run record is a crisis akin to the Black Sox scandal
Black Sox Scandal
The Black Sox Scandal took place around and during the play of the American baseball 1919 World Series. Eight members of the Chicago White Sox were banned for life from baseball for intentionally losing games, which allowed the Cincinnati Reds to win the World Series...
from 1919
1919 World Series
The 1919 World Series matched the American League champion Chicago White Sox against the National League champion Cincinnati Reds. Although most World Series have been of the best-of-seven format, the 1919 World Series was a best-of-nine series...
.
Vincent wrote in the April 24, 2006
2006 in baseball
-Headline Event of the Year:*The 2006 World Baseball Classic final 4 teams are Japan, Cuba, Korea and the Dominican Republic, with the United States at 3–3 failing to qualify for the semi-finals. Under the leadership of manager Sadaharu Oh and veterans Ichiro Suzuki and Daisuke Matsuzaka, Japan ...
issue of Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
, that with most of Bonds' official troubles being off the field, and with the strength of the players' union
Major League Baseball Players Association
The Major League Baseball Players Association is the union of professional major-league baseball players.-History of MLBPA:The MLBPA was not the first attempt to unionize baseball players...
, there was little Bud Selig could do beyond appointing an investigating committee. Vincent said that Selig is largely "an observer of a forum beyond his reach."
Fay Vincent also believes that the only franchises in Major League Baseball to have a chance to win are the ones that have their own regional sports network
Regional sports network
In the United States of America and Canada, a regional sports network, or RSN, is a cable television station that presents sports programming to a local market. The most important programming on an RSN consists of live broadcasts of professional and college sporting events, as those games generate...
s. Vincent has credited Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
owner Ted Turner
Ted Turner
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III is an American media mogul and philanthropist. As a businessman, he is known as founder of the cable news network CNN, the first dedicated 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he founded WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable television...
as one of the first to capitalize on this.
On October 18, 2007, Vincent appeared with sportscaster Bob Costas
Bob Costas
Robert Quinlan "Bob" Costas is an American sportscaster, on the air for the NBC network since the early 1980s.-Early life:...
at Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
for "A Conversation About Sports", moderated by Will Dudley, Associate Professor of Philosophy.
On May 28, 1992, Vincent was awarded an honorary doctoral degree at Central Connecticut State University
Commencement at CCSU
Central Connecticut State University's annual Commencement Exercises are held each May at the XL Center in Hartford. In most years, a separate graduation ceremony for recipients of advanced degrees is held on campus at Herbert D. Welte Hall....
. On May 18, 2008, Fairfield University
Fairfield University
Fairfield University is a private, co-educational undergraduate and master's level teaching-oriented university located in Fairfield, Connecticut, in the New England region of the United States. It was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942, and today is one of 28 member institutions of the...
conferred an honorary Doctor of Laws degree on Mr. Vincent where he served on the Board of Trustees from 1991 to 2002; and he created the need-based Alice Lynch Vincent Scholarship Fund in memory of his mother in December 1996.
External links
- Francis T. Vincent, Jr. at MLB.comMLB.comMLB.com is the official site of Major League Baseball and is overseen by Major League Baseball Advanced Media, L.P. . MLB.com is a source of baseball-related information, including baseball news, statistics, and sports columns...
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