During Fay Vincent’s tenure as baseball commissioner, he upheld the lifetime banishment of Pete Rose from baseball and oversaw his investigation. His stance on Rose hasn’t softened over the years, and when the learned of the Reds’ plan to honor the 25th anniversary of Rose’s breaking of the all-time hits record, he had this to say:
Fay Vincent Opposes Reds’ Pete Rose Tribute, Says That Rules Are Rules Are Rules Are Etc.
“ ‘When the keeper of the Rules does not enforce the Rules, there are no Rules,’ ” Vincent wrote in an e-mail to The Post. “That was the quote from [Rose investigator] John Dowd when we discussed what Bud had done. John is correct.
Fair point; although the capitalization of “rules” creeps me out, this is a violation of the rules set forth by baseball. Selig ought to at least stick his neck out enough to amend the conditions of Rose’s banning if he’s going to allow this to happen. Oh, but wait, here’s the best part:
Ironically, Rose, who was banned from baseball in 1989 for gambling, is not available for the actual anniversary, Sept. 11, because he has a prior commitment at a Kentucky casino.
Those who would point to this as evidence that Rose doesn’t have his priorities in order, or whatever, should note that Rose already committed to appearing at the casino and that rules are rules are rules are rules are rules are rules are no fun. Are rules.
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