"If at any time during my tenure here you find there’s a pattern of owners and owners’ officials singing my praises, you’d better fire me. I’m not kidding."

November 28, 2012 9:18 AM

Marvin Miller, labor economist and former executive of the MLBPA, has died at the age of 95.
posted by Groundhog Week (11 comments total)

They had an interesting bit about Marvin Miller and free agency yesterday on Talk of the Nation.

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posted by Lutoslawski at 9:25 AM on November 28, 2012

The Times has a nice write-up.
posted by Mad_Carew at 9:49 AM on November 28, 2012

A lot more information at ThanksMarvin.com, including a lot of notes of appreciation from retired players.
posted by Jugwine at 9:59 AM on November 28, 2012

Lots of the coverage of course is about the fact that Miller belongs in the Hall of Fame. At this time, it's worth remembering that the last time he was considered by the "Veterans Committee" for induction in 2011 (after being excluded many times previously), he needed 12 of 16 votes...out of 4 owners/executives, 4 baseball writers, and 8 players. He received 11 votes. All the owners voted against Miller's induction. All the writers voted in favour.

Which means that one former player voted against including the man who essentially freed the players from the plantation system under which baseball operated until 1975.

Whoever he is, I hope he is utterly ashamed of himself today.

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posted by dry white toast at 10:22 AM on November 28, 2012 [3 favorites]

Oh MAN I love Marvin Miller. I seriously do. When the players hired Miller, it was basically an announcement to the owners like "WE'RE COMING FOR YOU NO SERIOUSLY HIDE UNDER THE BED OR SOMETHING THIS GUY WORKED FOR THE STEELERS NO NOT THE FOOTBALL PLAYERS. AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA."*

Godspeed, Mr. Miller.

*might be slightly paraphrased.
posted by Snarl Furillo at 10:29 AM on November 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

I know Miller's story from the book Lords of the Realm: The Real History of Baseball. He accomplished so much for baseball.


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posted by Mental Wimp at 11:06 AM on November 28, 2012

Always interesting to listen to in interviews, and wow 95!
posted by PHINC at 11:25 AM on November 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

He was one of the great figures of baseball and deserved to get a lot more respect from it.

> Whoever he is, I hope he is utterly ashamed of himself today.

Amen.
posted by languagehat at 12:43 PM on November 28, 2012

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posted by joyceanmachine at 1:14 PM on November 28, 2012

The Grantland article in the OP is excellent.
posted by dry white toast at 1:28 PM on November 28, 2012

Love him or hate him, Keith Olbermann started as a sportscaster and still has a love for the game, and wrote an exceptional piece about Marvin Miller.
posted by mephron at 2:11 PM on November 28, 2012 [1 favorite]