 |
| Marvin Miller (1917-2012) |
Love him or hate him, you have to acknowledge that baseball players union founder
Marvin Miller was a transcendent figure in modern sports.
Miller died today in New York at the age of 95 after a battle with liver cancer. Every ballplayer that has enjoyed multi-millionaire status owes his good fortune to Miller. Although he precipitated strikes that besmirched the sport in the short term, his pioneering of free agency helped solidify baseball as an on-going major economic force. For good or ill, due to Miller's efforts,
real control of major league baseball now resides with the players. But don't pine for the owners, the sport's valuation went from $50 million in 1967 to $7.5
billion today. Truth be told,
both labor and management
are in Miller's debt. The final honor that should be bestowed on him is enshrinement in the Hall Of Fame.
