Murray Chass is a must-read on Marvin Miller's induction to the Hall of Fame. murraychass.com/?p=12262
Miller didn't want it and he told the BBWAA and Hall of Fame so in no uncertain terms. Miller's son, yesterday, reiterated that stance to Chass on behalf of the family.
I'm happy that Miller was recognized, but I fully acknowledge that he was right about how this all works.
I'm happy that Miller was recognized, but I fully acknowledge that he was right about how this all works.
As soon as a figure like Miller -- or that which he represents -- is put in a museum, his legacy ceases to be vital and begins to become sanitized. It's been made safe, put under the "protection" of those institutions with which he did battle.
It happened to civil rights leaders, it happens to political leaders, and it happens to sports and entertainment figures as well.
Until Miller died -- and for some time after -- there were people, many still in the game, who cursed his name and work. Now they'll praise him.
Until Miller died -- and for some time after -- there were people, many still in the game, who cursed his name and work. Now they'll praise him.
But they'll do it in the way that one only praises a threat or an adversary after the battle is over. When it's safe. And when they can control the terms of the praising and the terms of his legacy.
I'm not a radical. I'm not any sort of leader. I can't begin to relate to Miller and his work on the level he and others did and do. I still have respect for a lot of institutions that, maybe, I shouldn't. So, yeah, again, I'm happy that Miller is going into the Hall. But . . .
. . . let's not pretend that this is "what Marvin wanted" or that his ghost, to the extent it still haunts baseball, and dammit, I like to think it does, is looking upon that stage in Cooperstown in July, don't pretend for a moment that it's smiling.
