Hall of Fame errs by snubbing Robbins, Sarandon
FANNING WAR: A strike against Baseball Hall of Fame
Way to hyperventilate, Dale. I mean, you've got to be some sort of buffoon to attempt to turn a 15-year-old movie about minor leaguers and baseball groupies into a statement on patriotism.
With Petroskey in charge, I guess Hall of Fame candidates will be judged not only on their batting average and ERA but also on their political affiliations. Pete Rose not only will have to apologize for betting on baseball, he'll have to apologize for voting for Al Gore.
- Jim Caple
How silly is this? It seems the era of Patriotic Correctness has now infected the national pasttime. Dale Petroskey, the president of the Baseball Hall of Fame and a former Reagan Administration PR hack, has decided to make a political statement in a manner that can only be described as stupid and short-sighted.
Petroskey cancelled a film festival that was set to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Bull Durham in an effort, he said, to keep politics out of baseball. Yeah, right; baseball HAD been free of politics until he chose to loose the dogs of politics.
In a free country such as ours, every American has the right to his or her own opinions and to express them. Public figures, such as you, have platforms much larger than the average American. We believe your very public criticism of President Bush at this important -- and sensitive -- time in our nation's history helps undermine the U. S. position, which ultimately could put our troops in even more danger.
As a result, we have decided to cancel the April 26-27 programs in Cooperstown commemorating the 15th anniversary of Bull Durham.
- Dale Petroskey
I was dismayed to read your letter canceling my appearance at the Baseball Hall of Fame. I am sorry that you have chosen to use baseball and your position to make a political statement.... You belong with other cowards and ideologues in a hall of infamy and shame.
- Tim Robbins
I wasn't even planning to wear makeup. This was a chance to see some friends from the movie and make what has become an almost annual trip with our boys.
- Susan Sarandon
Pulling back this invite is against the whole principle about what we fight for and profess to be about.
- Kevin Costner
I thought it would be a nice little weekend away from all this talk of war and politics. I'm sorry that Mr. Petroskey has chosen to politicize it. For God's sake, let's leave baseball out of it.
- Tim Robbins
You would think that a former PR hack would have been able to figure out the far-flung negative impact of his pettiness. I do not endorse the views of Sarandon and Robbins, but they certainly have the right to voice their opinions. For Petroskey to turn the celebration of a baseball movie into an exercise in Patriotic Correctness is both stupid and mean-spirited. There are places where Petroskey could have reasonably expressed his disdain for the views of Sarandon and Robbins. Cancelling the celebration of Bull Durham goes against everything that baseball and America stand for.
What's Petroskey going to do next? Remove all references to the Montreal Expos because of the French?
- Mark McGuire (no, not THAT Mark McGuire)
Petroskey is the one who is guilty of tainting baseball with politics. Not only should he be ashamed of his criminal stupidity, he should resign his position. He has demonstrated his inability to maintain responsible stewardship of America's pasttime. It's time to go, Dale.
