Former Major League Baseball commissioner Fay Vincent died at age 86 on Sunday due to complications from bladder cancer. Current commissioner Rob Manfred released the following statement:
“Fay Vincent played a vital role in ensuring that the 1989 Bay Area World Series resumed responsibly following the earthquake prior to Game 3, and he oversaw the process that resulted in the 1993 National League expansion to Denver and Miami. 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. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest condolences to Fay’s family and friends.”
Vincent served as commissioner from Sept. 13, 1989 — shortly following the death of predecessor Bart Giamatti — until Sept. 7, 1992.
Though Vincent served a relatively short tenure as commissioner, he oversaw several monumental events. These included a lockout in 1990, Pete Rose’s continued ban from baseball (Rose applied for reinstatement, but Vincent never acted on the application), the ban of then-Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, and, as Manfred said in his statement, expansion plans for the Rockies and Marlins.
As Manfred noted, one of the biggest challenges presented to Vincent as commissioner was the Loma Prieta Earthquake that interrupted the 1989 World Series between the A’s and Giants.
Another item particularly of note during Vincent’s tenure as commissioner was Roger Maris’ single-season home run record of 61. Previously, MLB had ruled that Maris’ 61 and Babe Ruth’s 60 should be listed side-by-side, as Ruth hit his 60 in a 154-game season while Maris’ record took place in 162 games. Under Vincent’s “Committee for Statistical Accuracy,” Maris’ 61 was ruled as the one and only home run record.
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