Fay Vincent, the former MLB Commissioner who was forced out by a clique of hardline owners who then installed Bud Selig as Commissioner in what was supposedly an interim role, passed away Saturday at the age of 86.
Vincent had held a number of positions in the corporate world before joining MLB as deputy commissioner to Bart Giamatti, a longtime friend who had handpicked Vincent to join MLB. He took over after Giamatti’s death, but held the position for less than three years before resigning in September, 1992, after a no-confidence vote by owners.
Vincent was viewed by owners as too independent, and wanted someone in place who would be their lackey and advocate for the interests of ownership, rather than the good of MLB as a whole.