Sunday, December 22 Selig, living Hall of Famers might meet Jan. 17 Associated Press |
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NEW YORK -- Count out Robin Roberts from the proposed meeting between commissioner Bud Selig and the Hall of Fame's 58 living members regarding Pete Rose's possible reinstatement.
"I don't really want to be a part of it,'' the former Philadelphia pitcher said Sunday from his home outside Tampa, Fla.
"That's something to be worked out between the commissioner and Pete,'' he said. "Until he's off the banned list, there's no point talking about it.''
The Hall already has started contacting its members, hoping to set up a meeting Jan. 17 in Los Angeles.
"The commissioner is interested in hearing on all the myriad issues,'' said Bob DuPuy, Selig's point man on the Rose talks.
Longtime Dodgers manager Tom Lasorda, who lives in Southern California, was planning to attend, though he didn't want to make his views public.
"I'm going to hesitate and not commit myself,'' he said. "When the time comes, people will know where I stand.''
Rose and Selig are negotiating a possible end to the permanent ban the career hits leader agreed to in 1989 after an investigation of his gambling. Because he's banned, Rose cannot appear on the Hall ballot.
DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, met with Hall chairwoman Jane Forbes Clark, Hall president Dale Petroskey and Hall vice chairman Joe Morgan last Wednesday to brief them on the negotiations.
Morgan, a Hall of Fame second baseman, has pushed for a compromise between Selig and his former teammate.
"But it all starts with Pete,'' Morgan said during the World Series. "He's got to come clean.''
Cleveland great Bob Feller has been vocal in opposition to ending Rose's ban. He was among a group of Hall of Famers who threatened to walk out of ceremonies at Cooperstown in 2000 if Reds announcer Marty Brennaman used his induction speech to make a pitch for Rose.
As it turned out, Brennaman made a brief but passionate plea for Rose, and the group of veterans remained. |
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