Saturday, August 03, 2002
Bowden fined; Nux is outraged
Reds GM's Sept.11 remark draws MLB ire
By John Byczkowski and John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Major League Baseball fined Reds general manager Jim Bowden an undisclosed sum Friday for an “insensitive and inappropriate” comparison of baseball's labor problems to the Sept.11 terrorist attack, and Reds broadcaster Joe Nuxhall voiced his outrage over Bowden's comments.
“You have 2,800 families who don't know where their loved ones are,” Nuxhall said Friday.
Though Bowden violated commissioner Bud Selig's policy barring baseball management for discussing labor negotiations 1/2ndash 3/4 meaning he could have faced a fine of up to $1 million 1/2ndash 3/4 the commissioner fined him largely “for the fact that (the remarks) were insensitive, they were inappropriate, intemperate, they were just basically wrong,” said Richard Levin, Selig's spokesman.
Levin said Bowden violated no specific policy, adding, “The commissioner, in the best interest of baseball, can always take action like this.” Levin would give no other details about the disciplinary action. “We never disclose fines,” he said.
A source close to Reds owner Carl Lindner said the Reds would not pay the fine for Bowden. Neither Lindner nor Reds chief operating officer John Allen was available for comment Friday. Selig consulted with Lindner and Allen on Friday before announcing the disciplinary action.
Bowden's contract, which expires after next season, pays him $500,000 this year and $625,000 in 2003.
Bowden, who also was unavailable for comment Friday, made the Sept. 11 remarks to reporters in the Cinergy Field clubhouse before Thursday afternoon's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Bowden said he didn't think there would be a work stoppage because, “I don't think anybody's that dumb.”
“If they (the players) do walk out ... I encourage all of them, "Make sure it's September 11th. Be symbolic about it. Let (union head) Donald Fehr drive the plane right into the building, if that's what they want him to do,” Bowden said, referring to the Sept.11 terrorist attacks. The commissioner's office condemned Bowden's remarks, and he later issued a statement apologizing for making “
ment Friday, made the Sept. 11 remarks to reporters in the Cinergy Field clubhouse before Thursday afternoon's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Bowden said he didn't think there would be a work stoppage because, “I don't think anybody's that dumb.”
“If they (the players) do walk out ... I encourage all of them, "Make sure it's September 11th. Be symbolic about it. Let (union head) Donald Fehr drive the plane right into the building, if that's what they want him to do,” Bowden said, referring to the Sept.11 terrorist attacks. The commissioner's office condemned Bowden's remarks, and he later issued a statement apologizing for making “a horrible comparison between baseball's labor situation and the tragedy of 9-11.”
John Erardi contributed to this story.
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Bowden fined; Nux is outraged
