To hear him tell it, Bud Selig's 22-year run as commissioner of Major League Baseball has been a tale of two decades.
Selig's first 10 years in office were, to say the least, turbulent. His tenure began under hostile conditions - then-Commissioner Fay Vincent was forced out by the owners, and Selig was accused of colluding in his removal. What followed was one fumble after another, including the 1994 work stoppage, the infamous All-Star game tie, and baseball's steroid scandal.
Selig, who is retiring at the end of this month, even managed to ruffle the feathers of traditionalists with the addition of the wild card.
"In the '90s it was tough," Selig told Reuters in an exclusive interview published Wednesday. "One of baseball's indigenous characteristics is that it's resistant to change. Remember all the hollering about the wild card? Oh my God."
Over time, public sentiment regarding Selig's reign has softened. Under his watch, baseball has experienced unprecedented economic growth, served as a leader in the crusade against performance-enhancing drugs, and implemented several progressive changes such as expanded instant replay.
"I've been treated great in the last 10 or 15 years," Selig admitted. "Some of my severest critics have become my greatest fans."
Here are three notable excerpts from Selig's interview with Reuters:
Should Barry Bonds be in the Hall of Fame?
"That's up to the baseball writers... When it comes to the drug thing, I did everything I could. We have the toughest drug-testing program in America - a sport that used to have nothing. When it comes to that other thing (Bonds), there's no sense in replowing ground."
1994 players strike
"The cancellation of the '94 World Series was my saddest moment. Life is funny. We'd had seven work stoppages. Yet heartbreaking as it was not to have the Series, maybe we had to go through it to achieve labor peace."
Favorite player
"I'm in a position of having to be neutral, but I have great regard for Derek Jeter. He’s everything a player should be on the field, and more importantly, off."
