Susan Sarandon as Annie Savoy in "Bull Durham," one of the greatest baseball movies ever, said that, "The world was made for people who aren't cursed with self-awareness." It seems as if she's speaking right to Baseball Hall of Fame President Dale Petroskey.
Petroskey called off the 15th anniversary festivities for "Bull Durham," which were set for April 26-27, and told intended guests Sarandon and Tim Robbins, who also co-starred as Ebby Calvin "Nuke" Laloosh in "Bull Durham," that they were officially uninvited.
Seems that Sarandon and Robbins' anti-war comments were a wild pitch for Petroskey, who was also a former assistant press secretary in the Reagan administration. In a Sports Illustrated story, he said that recent comments by the actors "ultimately could put our troops in even more danger."
How exactly would that put our troops in danger? Two actors over in the United States flashing peace signs at the Oscars are going to bring down the entire American campaign for a fairly assured victory, especially since the United States has already dismantled Saddam Hussein's regime?
Thanks to Petroskey's fascinating logic, author Roger Kahn, who wrote Boys of Summer, called off his August appearance to speak at the Hall of Fame in protest. Any baseball fan can see the utter ridiculousness of Petroskey's decision. Perhaps Sarandon and Robbins were going to show up and perhaps spout some political statements, but maybe we should think about something else Sarandon's character said in "Bull Durham": "Walt Whitman once said, 'I see great things in baseball. It's our game, the American game. It will repair our losses and be a blessing to us.'"
Petroskey certainly doesn't see it that way.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
So, to Petroskey, I leave him with a quote from "Bull Durham's" Crash Davis: "Don't think. It can only hurt the ball club."
Angela Williams
Editor in Chief
