Conscience of the Game

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serve--"the fans, the sport, the best interests of the game, or the owners? As Larry Moffi explains, that question has had different answers at different times. As the game has changed, so too have the responsibilities of the commissioner. Born out of controversy to help resolve the crisis brought on by the Black Sox Scandal of 1919, when the White Sox threw the World Series, the commissioner's role has always drawn attention and put the officeholders in the public spotlight. By comparing commissioners' performances in terms of their responsibilities and how they addressed them, Moffi profiles how some commissioners rose to the occasion and others failed. For example, he discusses in depth Happy Chandler's management of the crisis that arose around Jackie Robinson's arrival in the Major Leagues and Bart Giamatti's and then Fay Vincent's reactions to the Pete Rose scandal. Different perspectives on the commissioner's mission have led to the infighting and power struggles that have helped shape the game to the present day. In this unique history of the office, set against the backdrop of Bud Selig's bad day of congressional testimony, Moffi asks where the commissioner's place in baseball went wrong. After interviewing all of the living commissioners, including Selig, as well as speaking to baseball historians and fans about the unique character of the position, Moffi suggests a future role for the office of the commissioner that is something more than the current owner-friendly first among equals definition. In the end, the conscience of the game can continue to have a profound impact on the future of the game.