Free Pete

So first of all, I went to the Louisville Slugger Museum this weekend. Cool for many reasons. But the coolest was, if you wanted you could hold a player's bat. You had to wear batting gloves because they were like historical artifacts. Anyway, I'm holding a bat Mickey Mantle used in the early sixties. That's right - Mickey Freaking Mantle (not his real middle name). Afterward I felt a little light-headed. That was the coolest thing ever.

Speaking of baseball, let me conclude my rant on why Pete belongs in the Hall of Fame, but responding to the reasons people think he should be banned.

1. Its wrong to bet on baseball. So what. It's also wrong to miss the cut off man when throwing the ball back to the infield. Why it hurts the integrity of the game is that most any player that would do that, does it so he could bet against his team and then play to lose. No one claims he ever did that. There is no comparison to what Pete did and the Chicago Black Sox scandal.

2. He initially lied about betting on baseball. I don't want to condone lying, but why wouldn't you lie? Everyone that gets arrested pleads Not Guilty. Is it really that much more of a problem that not only did O.J. kill two people, but also lied about it? If I admit to betting I get kicked out of the game I love, but if I lie, it all might pass. I think its been years since I've lied, but if I was in his shoes, I think I would have done the same.

3. He wrote a book explaining his actions and it was terrible. I read the book and it really was terrible. But someone helped him write it. In fact I doubt Pete really wrote any of it. What I know of him, I'm not sure he's read a book yet, let alone write one.

3. He hasn't given up gambling. Pete is stupid. There's no question about that. He should stay away from Las Vegas or any other type of gambling. He would look a lot better to the baseball heads. But he won't. But he doesn't have to. He's not in baseball anymore and he's not doing anything illegal. Just stupid.

I saw a guy last month in Cincinnati last month wearing a "Free Pete" t-shirt. I need one of those. Anyway, I could go on and on, but I'll save some of my angst for next year.