https://m.facebook.com/Yankees/?ref...225:mf_story_key.1302240096822531306&__tn__=C What a HOF class!
Mick and Mays were (as everyone knows), were banned from the HOF; due to taking jobs as "goodwill ambassadors" to Atlantic City Casino's even when they did not have #1- Sports Betting Books at those Casinos... What still blew my mind on these two being banned, are several fold. There were no Sports books at those Casino's (as noted herein), and- #2- Some Owners still own or did so, (ie King George, Gene Autry) and operate Race Horses....WTF....? http://deadspin.com/5828150/when-ma...ll-putting-a-rods-gambling-problem-in-context (excerpt from the link above) a decent read, .... There were safeguards in place. As casino employees, Mays and Mantle were barred from betting in any of the city's casinos. And at the time, Atlantic City did not even have a sportsbook. This was two retired ballplayers, showing up every now and then at corporate events to collect a paycheck. This was not consorting with known gamblers or mob types, or anything that could be construed as remotely related to betting on baseball. It didn't matter. As soon as Mays took the job, he was forced to quit his position as a hitting instructor for the Mets. Despite being elected to the Hall of Fame earlier that year, commissioner Bowie Kuhn banned him from working for or with any major league team, saying a "casino is no place for a baseball hero and Hall of Famer." He similarly forced Mantle out of his coaching job with the Yankees in 1983, never to return as long as they were associated with casinos. ________________________________________ this 2nd link/article (noted below), is on the lifting of those suspensions by Peter Ueberrtoth: (an even better article, IMO) http://www.nytimes.com/1985/03/19/sports/mays-mantle-reinstated-by-baseball-commissioner.html (excerpt): Mays, who is 53 years old, was banned only three months after gaining admission to the Hall in 1979. At the time, he was paid $50,000 a year by the Mets to act as a good-will ambassador and part-time coach. He was signed by Bally's to a 10-year contract at $100,000 a year. Others in Commercials Mantle, also 53, received the same penalty in 1983 after joining the Claridge in a public relations capacity, also at $100,000 a year. He had appeared each spring training as a hitting instructor for the Yankees, and was reportedly earning $20,000 a year making endorsements. While Mays and Mantle were the only former players to have been banned, others have been employed by casinos or have appeared in ads for gambling establishments. A television commercial for Bally's, filmed in 1983, included appearances by Brooks Robinson, the former Baltimore Oriole; Phil Esposito, the former hockey player; Walt Frazier, the former Knick; Johnny Unitas, the former quarterback, and Mays. Sparky Lyle, the former Yankee relief pitcher, is employed by the Claridge. ''I've done more charity work since I've been with the Claridge than I ever did in baseball,'' Mantle said. ''That's mostly all I do, except play in golf tournaments. As far as hanging around casinos, we don't do that. We don't go out and try to get people to come in.''
I've always been of the belief that once you leave the game (as long as its not illegal) the job you do shouldn't matter. That whole banning thing was pure bullshit.
