Fay Vincent, Former MLB Commissioner, Dies at 86 Due to Bladder Cancer
Fay Vincent, who served as the Commissioner of Major League Baseball from 1989 to 1992, passed away on Saturday at the age of 86 due to bladder cancer. Vincent took over as commissioner after Bart Giamatti’s sudden death, and he played a key role in Pete Rose’s ban from baseball. As commissioner, Vincent presided over the 1989 World Series, which was halted due to the deadly earthquake in the Bay Area, and he implemented a permanent suspension for New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.
During his tenure, Vincent also angered owners by acknowledging collusion among teams against free agents and dividing expansion fees among both leagues. Additionally, he attempted to force National League realignment, changing the divisions of four teams.
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred released a statement in tribute to Vincent, saying, “Mr. Vincent served the game during a time of many challenges, and he remained proud of his association with our national pastime throughout his life.”
In one of his lasting acts as commissioner, Vincent chaired a committee for statistical accuracy, which removed the asterisk from Roger Maris’ entry as the season home run leader and deleted 50 no-hitters, defining a no-hitter as games of nine innings or more that ended with no hits.
Vincent’s legacy in baseball is marked by his efforts to improve the sport, despite the challenges he faced during his tenure.