Last week, in a baseball scoreboards feature, we covered the “Pine Tar” and the “Black Sox” incidents. Continuing from where we left off, let us take a look at the next 2 most infamous scandalous incidents in MLB history.
3. The Pete Rose Gambling Incident – it seems like MLB is more susceptible to gambling than other professional sports, or it may be that they are just not that well versed in hiding their illicit activities. The (baseball scoreboards) Pete Rose gambling incident is not so much an incident as a saga of denials and accusations that spans almost 15 years. After retiring from an impressive and record setting career, Pete Rose took up a managing post in the Cincinnati Reds’ bullpen from 1985 -1989. In 1989, an investigation was launched into his dealings because it was rumored that he was a serial illegal gambler, both before and after his retirement. The Lawyer John Dowd spearheaded this investigation and found implicating evidence against Rose, but Rose continued to deny it vehemently. Next, in 1990 he was found guilty of tax evasion and sentenced to several months in prison and 1,000 hours of community service. Later, in 2004 in his autobiography he finally admitted to gambling and placing illegal bets whilst he was a player and later when he was a manager as well. However, he strongly denied that he placed any bets on the Reds while he was managing them; but, as they say “once a liar, always a liar”.
4. The Black Mist Era – this incident does not fall under MLB’s span, but as it is related to baseball and had a role to play in tightening the restrictions in MLB in an effort to root out illegal betting, it was an important incident for MLB as a whole. It was discovered that during 1969-1971 several famous names in Japanese baseball (NPB) had accepted bribes to throw away games from a crime family. It all started to unravel when in 1969 somebody ousted pitcher Masayuki Nagayasu of the Nishitetsu Lions’, for intentionally throwing easy-to-hit pitches. Once caught, Nagayasu delved all his dealings to the officials, naming several other renowned players in the team (3 pitchers, 2 infielders and catcher). The players were suspended, with Nagayasu banned from baseball for life. However, sadly for Japanese baseball, the players’ illegal betting was not only limited to baseball. In 1970, an automobile racer disclosed that several pitchers from 2 baseball teams and a yakuza (organized crime family) member had been trying to fix automobile races. Investigations into the allegations lead to the unearthing of all kinds of dirty laundry for the players. 3 players were banned, while several other were arrested. The events that unfolded during this era were seen as a Black Mist engulfing Japanese baseball.
For more information on the Pete Rose gambling incident, go to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Rose