Fay Vincent, the former Major League Baseball commissioner who played a pivotal role in the sport’s history by banning Yankees owner George Steinbrenner in 1990, died Saturday at the age of 86.
Vincent’s wife, Christina, confirmed to The New York Times that he passed away at a hospital in Vero Beach, Florida, due to complications from bladder cancer.
The connection between Vincent and the Yankees
During his tenure, Vincent navigated the league through significant moments, including the resumption of the 1989 World Series after the Bay Area earthquake and the league’s first expansion in over a decade. As deputy commissioner, he was also involved in the investigation that led to Pete Rose’s lifetime ban from baseball for gambling.
However, Vincent is perhaps best remembered for his decision to ban George Steinbrenner after the Yankees owner paid $40,000 to Howie Spira for damaging information about Dave Winfield. The agreement forced Steinbrenner to relinquish control of the team’s daily operations, though he retained ownership.
“For all purposes, Mr. Steinbrenner agrees that he is to be treated as if he had been placed on the permanent ineligible list,” Vincent said at the time.
Steinbrenner returned in 1993, while Vincent, facing pressure from team owners dissatisfied with his leadership, resigned the previous year. In his resignation letter, he defended his approach to the role.
“I accepted the position believing the Commissioner has a higher duty and that sometimes decisions have to be made that are not in the best interests of some owners,” Vincent wrote. “Ownership of a baseball team is more than ownership of an ordinary business. Owners have a duty to take into consideration that they own a part of America’s national pastime—in trust. This trust sometimes requires putting self-interest second.”
A native of Waterbury, Connecticut, Vincent attended Williams College and earned a law degree from Yale before becoming commissioner in 1989 following the sudden death of his predecessor, Bart Giamatti. One of his early challenges was overseeing the resumption of the 1989 World Series, which had been interrupted for 10 days by an earthquake before the Oakland Athletics swept the San Francisco Giants.
Current MLB commissioner Rob Manfred recognized Vincent’s contributions to the game in a statement.
“Fay Vincent played a vital role in ensuring that the 1989 Bay Area World Series resumed responsibly following the earthquake prior to Game Three, and he oversaw the process that resulted in the 1993 National League expansion to Denver and Miami,” Manfred said. “Mr. Vincent served the game during a time of many challenges, and he remained proud of his association with our national pastime throughout his life. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest condolences to Fay’s family and friends.”
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