|
Bowie Kuhn[bOO´E kyOOn] Pronunciation Key, 1926–, American commissioner of baseball, b. Takoma Park, Md. He was legal counsel for the baseball club owners before his election as commissioner in 1969. His 15-year tenure was tumultuous, filled with player boycotts, owner disenchantment, the end of the century-old reserve clause, and the expansion of the number of franchises. Although players and owners freely criticized his handling of labor issues, Kuhn maintained the absolute authority of the commissioner's office to act in baseball's best interest. He best demonstrated this in 1976 when he struck down a controversial multimillion-dollar sale by Oakland of players to Boston and New York.
See his Hardball (1987).
|
