Baseball Hall of Fame Cancelled "Bull Durham" Tribute, Cite Robins and Sarandon

From what I see this freep is going to backfire big time'''

Actor Kevin Costner, a Republican who played a lead role in "Bull Durham, said in a statement: "I think Tim and Susan's courage is the type of courage that makes our democracy work. Pulling back this 'invite' is against the whole principle about what we fight for and profess to be about."

snip

Shelton, the film's director, said: "I can't believe that this country has come to the point where people of disparate political opinions can't gather together to celebrate something we can all agree on -- baseball and films."

snip

In a letter to Petroskey, Robbins said he was dismayed. "As an American who believes that vigorous debate is necessary for the survival of a democracy I reject your suggestion that one must be silent in times of war.

"I wish you had ... saved me the rhetoric and talked honestly about your ties to the Bush and Reagan administrations. You are using what power you have to infringe upon my rights to free speech..."

Robbins, 44, said Petroskey apparently faxed his letter to the media at the same time he mailed it to Robbins "to make it a story, the message of which is, if you oppose this administration, you can be punished."

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=638&ncid=762&e=1&u=/nm/20030410/en_nm/iraq_robbins_dc

Then Kevin Costner is an idiot too. I never said the Republicans didn't have their fair share.

Someone tell me when Kevin Costner was in a "real" fox hole? Tell me how he has any real understanding of how the troops feel when they are at war risking thier lives and hear about people like Susan S. or Timothy, who have more of a platform than the average American, get unfair coverage of their opinion BECAUSE THEY ARE STARS. Not because they are educated, or are some kind of genius.. or even have any kind of experience in these things.. but simply because they are a movie star. Then they think their opinion should count more. I DON'T THINK SO!!

See, they DO have a right to free speech. But their BUSINESS is dependent upon the public. As is baseballs.

If the majority of the PUBLIC don't like your stand,. then we can excercise our freedoms and NOT WANT YOU TO SPEAK AT FUNCTIONS, OR PAY TO GO TO YOUR MOVIES.

Sheesh.. it just never ceases to amaze me that these people think their opinions matter more than us average pee'ons opinions do.

They really need to get a clue.

They think they can speak out publicly, sway people with their opinions, but then if good decent organizations or people do likewise "but in difference to THEIR OPINION".. that our opinion was less legitimate or less deserving!! Somehow, anyone else having a different opinion, or even feeling REPULSED by their very public opinion, is denying them THEIR FREE SPEECH. Now that is rich! THEY CAN SPEAK OUT, BUT NO ONE ELSE CAN.

What a bunch of hypocrites. Wahhh wahhhhhh, friggin crybaby's!

Time to see just how "equal" we all really are in America, huh Susan, Kevin and Timmy?

Susan: "Gasp.. you mean even YOU can speak freely.. but, but, but...."

If Kevin Costner wants to add his name to the hall of shame.. so be it.

He has been history for a long time anyway. I imagine this is more about "revenues" off Bull Durham reruns than anything else.

Hey Kevin,.. we are on to ya.. "Ka CHING.. it's about the money stupid". Just excercising MY free speech.

Vets

Thanks for the heads up!

Shoeless Joe took the money while playing and throwing the world series? Pete wasn't playing at the time he was gambling?

BUMP

THERE IS NO GRAY AREA and I'm not the first or ONLY person to equate the Democrats and Liberals as Socialists and Communists.

Communism IS an economic philosophy...It's BEEN TRIED AND FAILED MISERABLY! All it ever did was create long term politicians who manipulated it to THEIR favor while crushing the people...In essence, LIFE-LONG PARTY DICTATORS!

Go back to DU, where everybody agrees with your pathetic points and won't throw it back in your face with FACTS!

from today's Boston Herald:

Hall of a ruckus over `Bull'
by Sean Westmoreland
Friday, April 11, 2003

The Red Sox may be primed for today's home opener, but the marriage of baseball and politics has left Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins fuming on the bench.

Baseball Hall of Fame president Dale Petroskey this week cited the couple's emphatic anti-war posture as his reason for canceling a 15th anniversary tribute to ``Bull Durham,'' the classic baseball film starring Robbins and Sarandon.

Robbins plays an up-and-coming minor league pitcher in the 1988 film and Sarandon plays a fan who helps him focus his erratic talent. Kevin Costner also stars.

The pair's condemnation of the war in Iraq has included flashing peace signs on the red carpet at last month's Academy Awards.

``We believe your very public criticism of President Bush at this important - and sensitive - time in our nation's history helps undermine the U.S. position, which ultimately could put our troops in even more danger,'' Petroskey wrote in a letter of disinvitation also faxed to the news media.

A former assistant press secretary in the Reagan White House, Petroskey said, ``As an institution, we stand behind our President and our troops in this conflict.''

Along with ``Bull Durham'' co-star Robert Wuhl and writer-director Ron Shelton, the acting duo were to slated discuss film and baseball at the April 26-27 Hall of Fame celebration in Cooperstown, N.Y.

``You belong with the cowards and ideologues in a hall of infamy and shame,'' Robbins replied in a letter.

``I am sorry that you have chosen to use baseball and your position at the Hall of Fame to make a political statement,'' Robbins continued. ``I know there are many baseball fans that disagree with you, and even more that will react with disgust to realize baseball is being politicized.''

Robbins ended with the line: ``Long live democracy, free speech and the '69 Mets - all improbable, glorious miracles that I have always believed in.''

The nation's prevailing pro-Bush mood has lately stung such unrepentant anti-war celebs as Janeane Garofalo, whose claim that the war ``is a manufactured conflict for the sake of geopolitical dominance'' provoked a volley of calls and emails to ABC demanding her upcoming series ``Slice of Life'' be pre-emptively canceled.

A spokesman for Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, who serves on the Hall's board of directors, said professional baseball had no connection to the scuttled event and did not issue ``political statements.''

Kevin Costner, himself a Republican, defended his ``Bull Durham'' co-stars in a statement: ``I think Tim and Susan's courage is the type of courage that makes our democracy work. Pulling back this `invite' is against the whole principle about what we fight for and profess to be about.''

Calls yesterday to the Baseball Hall of Fame were not returned.

Herald wire services contributed to this report.

Tim Robbins said:"I am sorry that you have chosen to use baseball and your position at the Hall of Fame to make a political statement". What about he and his wife using the Oscars and their celebrity to do the same thing?

Said in the film, by Crash Davis (Costner): "He (Robbins' character) has a million dollar arm and a ten-cent head."

Very well said!!!

Another perfect example of liberal hypocricy!!

It was worse in Pete's case because he was managing the team (i.e., making out the lineup, running the game, etc.) It is a fact that several bookies knew that Rose did not believe the Reds were "likely" to win on days "certain" pitchers were on the mound. Pete placed bets on Reds games on some of those occasions. What has not been fully disclosed is whether he did, in fact, bet AGAINST his own team on any of those several occasions. Before overturning Commissioner Vincent's ruling banning Rose for life, Bud Selig must get to the bottom of this question.

If the answer is "yes", then Rose is guilty of far worse than the illiterate and simple-minded Jackson who likley did not fully grasp the consequences of his actions. For one thing Rose had the precedent of Shoeless Joe and the taboo of gambling on baseball which he was reminded every spring along with every other major league player not to mention Rule 11(b) which is posted in every major league clubhouse.

For more than a decade Rose has denied that he gamblied on baseball and recent headlines regarding difficulties with the IRS and his activities in Las Vegas casinos weigh against the petition for reinstatement currently under consideration in the Commissioner's office. Reinstatement is not appropriate now even if the answer to the question above is in the negative.

To argue otherwise is to find fault with the original ruling by Mr. Vincent. Maybe you should lobby for Bill Clinton as the next Commissioner of baseball. He is the sort that might even look favorably upon Mr. Rose's personal conduct and he certainly has no aversion to the granting of questionable pardons.

Maybe you should lobby for Bill Clinton as the next Commissioner of baseball.

How do you put coherent sentences together without a high school education?

I see you have abandoned your idiotic position in favor of personal attack. Nice high school debate tactic.

What about the low-life Pete Rose?

Oh excuse me, I did not mean it to be a personal attack. I was congratulating you on having information and making a logical statement. When you asked me about clinton, that was a personal attack. I thought no one but a high school student or drop out would do that. If you finished high school then my apologies. I did not think that you had ever graduated high school after making your position and then starting with the ad hominem.

I've always enjoyed watching the movie that starred Gary Cooper as Lou Gehrig. (Sorry, I've forgotten the title.)

"Pride of the Yankees", Gary Cooper. A classic.