Secret 1989 MLB Probe reveals "Dirty" Umps...

ESPN ^ | 4/8/02 | NY Daily News

[The Drowning Witch]

It appears Pete Rose wasn't the only person from baseball involved with gambling in 1989.

Major League Baseball's front office secretly conducted a gambling investigation centered on umpires amid the Rose gambling probe 13 years ago, the New York Daily News reported Friday.

According to documents obtained by the newspaper, the investigation produced a written report by Rose investigator John Dowd and two years' probation for two of baseball's most highly regarded umpires Frank Pulli of the National League and Rich Garcia of the American League.

The report stated the umps were disciplined for "associating and doing business with gamblers and bookmakers," which violated Major League Rule 21 -- the "best interests of baseball" rule. Late commissioner Bart Giamatti started the probe and was signed and enforced by his successor, former commissioner Fay Vincent.

Dowd told the Daily News the two umps cooperated with the investigation and were sanctioned for placing bets with "local bookies." Pulli still works for baseball as an umpire supervisor, a job he has held for the last two years, and Garcia is being considered for a similar job.

"It's serious when you try to protect the game from this whole problem of gambling, which raises issues of debt and compromise," Dowd told the News. "We were acutely tuned in to how serious it was with people trying to associate with Major League umpires."

According to the Daily News, MLB confirmed the gambling sanctions and defended its decision to keep the investigation a secret, its hiring of Pulli as a supervisor and its plan to bring in Garcia.

"They made a mistake," Executive vice president of baseball operations Sandy Alderson told the Daily News of the umpires. "From my standpoint, there's absolutely no question about their integrity, commitment to the game or to the profession of umpiring."

Vincent recently told the Daily News the umpire probe didn't rise to the level of the Rose case because there was no proof the umps bet on baseball, as Rose was accused of doing. Rose has been banned from baseball and denied admission to the Hall of Fame.

"If there was any case involving umpires," Vincent told the paper, "it didn't involve betting on baseball."

Vincent wrote letters to Pulli and Garcia concerning Giamatti's institution of the investigation on Aug. 14, 1989.

Dowd said the umpires' cooperation with the investigation was thorough.

"When confronted, they were honest about it," Dowd told the Daily News. "They were men about it."

Current commissioner Bud Selig refused to comment on the investigation, saying it did not occur under his administration.

[The Drowning Witch]

Maybe now I have the reason why Eric Gregg wasn't reinstated....

[Pokey78]

No, Eric Gregg wasn't reinstated because every time the ball was hit, it tended to gravitate towards Eric due to his immense girth.

Plus I'm still pissed at him for his 35 foot wide strike zone in the NLCS (Florida vs. Atlanta). The Braves could've used boat paddles and they still couldn't have reached those pitches.

[Jen]

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[The Drowning Witch]

absolumont, Pokey....
Bump

[TexasNative2000]

FYI BUMP

I move for Pete Rose's immediate induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

[Lancey Howard]

Thanks for the ping.

I agree that baseball should get their heads out of their rears and put Rose in the Hall, sooner rather than later.

[BluesDuke]

I move for Pete Rose's immediate induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

May we please remember that Pete Rose did everything in his power to prevent baseball from discovering the truth about his gambling activities, which doesn't appear to be the case with Frank Pulli and Rich Garcia? And, that had Pete Rose been forthright from the outset he just might have gotten off with nothing worse than a one- or maybe two-year suspension from baseball rather than what he still has?

[BluesDuke]

I agree that baseball should get their heads out of their rears and put Rose in the Hall, sooner rather than later.

One point of clarification: The Hall of Fame is a completely separate and independent entity from organised major league baseball, which can and does make its own rules for eligibility - one of which is that no one on baseball's permanently ineligible list may be considered for Hall of Fame enshrinement.

[TexasNative2000]

Pete Rose did everything in his power to prevent baseball from discovering the truth about his gambling

Thanks for the clarification. My initial reaction, as posted, was an emotional one. Upon reflection, your point is well taken.

[razorback-bert]

What about the NFL refs?

[BluesDuke]

Thanks for the clarification. My initial reaction, as posted, was an emotional one. Upon reflection, your point is well taken.

Believe me, the point is not one I take pleasure in making. The Pete Rose affair didn't have to conclude as it did. And the saddest part of it is, he had no one to blame for that but Pete Rose.