Ethical Ranks

Stats Toolbox

Rank Baseball's Ethical Scenarios

Want to play the "Baseball Ethics" game? Two randomly selected actual ethical incidents from baseball's storied history are listed below. Please tell us which one you consider to be "worse." In other words, select the one you think is less ethical than the other. This exercise originally ran in August, 2008. After 35,000 votes, we compiled the results in this article.

This material was developed for an American Studies course at Carleton College. You can read about it in this article. The entire bibliography of sources is on this page.

Here are your first two choices. Select the less ethical one and you'll be given the opportunity to make even more choices. Thanks for helping.

1. Durocher swings away

Leo Durocher was known as a scrapper. When he was managing the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1945, one heckler really got on his nerves. The fan was John Christian, who acknowledged calling Durocher a "crook" and a "bum." A policeman removed Christian from his seat in the grandstand section of the park. Durocher and Christian came together under the stands, and a fight quickly ensued. Christian later claimed that the Dodgers manager had broken his jaw. Durocher was tried, and acquitted, in court on charges of second-degree assault. The league did not suspend Durocher for his role in the melee. There are scores of other examples of fights between players or coaches in uniform, and fans. (Zumsteg, p. 87)

2. Out on purpose

Legendary Dodger Jackie Robinson was not just a trailblazer but a quick-thinking base runner as well. He was well aware of the old baseball rule that stated that if a batted ball hits a base runner, then that base runner shall be immediately called out. When Robinson was on first and a sure double-play grounder was hit towards the second baseman, Robinson would intentionally run into the ball. Yes, he would be called out, but the batter would be safe at first. In 1956, the rules of baseball were changed to avoid this (legal) subterfuge. Heretofore, the umpires could call both batters out in obvious double-play situations. (Gutman, p. XXI)