BC: Why do you think baseball is held to a standard than other professional sports as far as...let's call it "extra-curricular activity?"

LM: It’s definitely because of the tradition baseball enjoys. Some of those traditions are myths, like Abner Doubleday and Alexander Cartwright but even as we look at them all we do is find more history. They were great gentlemen in their own eras, and maybe they don’t have the grass roots connection to baseball. The Babe Ruths, the Lou Gehrigs, the Ty Cobbs. They played the game and everybody looked up to them. The early roots of baseball show that, back in the early 1900s, baseball players were looked at as partyers and so forth. All of a sudden, we have the legends growing out of that, that’s why baseball is put on a higher pedestal. Look what they have to do to get in the Hall of Fame. 75% of voting is hard to get. We haven’t had presidents get 75% of the vote.

BC: As a lifelong educator, what do you feel is the historical significance of Barry Bonds' breaking Hank Aaron's home run record?

LM: Any time a record like the home run record is broken, there has to be historical significance. If you take performance-enhancing substances – which has not been proven yet – you’re supposed to be stronger and faster, but so far studies have not shown that steroids increase your bat speed and your hand-eye coordination. Barry was a 5-tool athlete when he joined the Majors, he had great ability. I don’t think we can take that away from him. Obviously he can hit the ball further because of his strength, but you still have to get the bat there. Look at the people we suspect who took steroids. Some of them strike out a lot. Like Jose Canseco – he hit some long home runs, but he wasn’t one of the greatest home run hitters of all time.

BC: How do you respond to a student who asks about steroids?

LM: To the student, they believe that something should be done about steroids. They don’t have the answer – just like we don’t have the answer. If you start putting asterisks on records, you’re just creating more trouble than you want to get into. Students feel very strongly that you shouldn’t be putting something in your body that harm them. There are obvious cases of steroids having long-term effects on people’s bodies.

BC: What advice do you have for teachers with baseball fans in the classroom who might have to deal with questions about the legitimacy of baseball?

LM: If we saw baseball turning their back on any of the problems they’ve had – gambling in the past and now steroids – that would be one thing, but they do not investigate much differently than anything else is investigated in our society. Some people call it to the best of their ability, others call it a cover-up. Will we ever find the truth? I don’t know, and I don’t think anybody does. I reflect back a little bit to how a family takes care of their own, and I don’t think baseball is different. There is tradition in the game, as there is in our families. I think baseball takes care of their own, much like families do. Look at football veterans who just came out about how they’re not taken care of. How long has baseball been taking care of their retired players? Baseball is a well-organized family. Baseball isn’t sweeping the dirt under the carpet, but more like protecting their family tree.

BC: You write a very good and interesting blog for ESPN. How did you get involved in blogging and what purpose do you think it serves for your fan base?

CG: It started with just being on MySpace and ESPN picked up as well after Spring Training. The fans of both the Tigers and of other teams have made a lot of comments about the blog and they seem to enjoy reading it. It has been interesting how many people with another team's shirt will come up to me and mention that they read or have read the blog.

BC: You mentioned in a previous post that your father just retired from teaching in the last few weeks. What did it mean for you to grow up in a teacher's house, and how important is/was education to your family?

CG: Education was always the most important thing no matter what. If my grades slacked, I wasn't able to participate in my sport or other activities.

BC: We have an education program called "The Business of Baseball" focusing on economics. Graduating from Illinois-Chicago with degrees in business marketing and business management, how did your educational background prepare you for life as a major leaguer?

CG: Learning how to organize was the most important thing that my educational background has helped me with my baseball life. Being a major leaguer, you have to be well prepared and organized every single day and every single at-bat.

BC: Detroit's New York-Penn League team is in Oneonta, just south of Cooperstown, where you spent part of your early professional career. What did you think of your time in upstate New York, and did you ever have a chance to come to the Hall of Fame?

CG: Oneonta is a very small town and it was interesting playing there. The good thing about the NYPL was that we played in Staten Island and Brooklyn, so I was able to head back to what I was comfortable with, and that's the big city. I did get a chance to visit Cooperstown and I was surprised how small that city was, too (ed. note: Cooperstown has a population of about 2,000, swelling to 50,000 for Induction weekend). You see so much about it when the Hall of Fame induction is done each year, you assume it would be this big city, and it's not that big, either. It was exciting to see all the stuff in the Hall of Fame and the thing I remember most are all the championship rings from each team. I hope to one day have my own.

BC: Baseball has a funny way of working itself into the larger issue of what's happening in American society and history. What do you appreciate most - from a philosophical point of view - about baseball?

CG: The diversity of the game is the part I really enjoy about it. You have people from all over the world who can and do play this game. The thing I also like is that there really isn't a certain physical body type needed to play, either. In basketball you need to be tall. In football you need to be really big. In baseball, everybody has a chance to play.

Yep, the Baseball Hall of Fame is 68 years old today! Opening June 12, 1939 in Cooperstown all 11 living Hall of Famers were present for the opening and induction of the 1936-1939 classes. To send the Hall of Fame a birthday wish, simply respond to this post!

BC: What kind of impact will the televising of the MLB June draft have on the business side of baseball?

JC: I don't expect the televising of the MLB draft to have a significant impact. There's such a fundamental difference between baseball and the other two major sports -- where fans are so familiar with the draft picks and many of the kids will have an immediate impact in the NBA or NFL. I'm sure some diehards will tune in out of curiosity, but I wouldn't expect a groundswell of interest. (Although I think my Baseball America buddy, John Manuel, would make a great Mel Kiper Jr. The guy is an encyclopedia).

BC: Obviously Marvin Miller's leadership of the MLBPA changed baseball dramatically. From your perspective as a columnist and author who wrote about the world of the baseball agent for  "License to Deal," has the balance of power between clubs and players shifted with the rise of agents in the game?

JC: The balance of power shifted due to changes in the basic agreement through collective bargaining, and the agents have taken advantage of that to build lucrative practices and become power brokers in the game. They owe everything to Marvin Miller, and I think more of the young agents need to realize that. Nevertheless, a guy like Scott Boras has had a significant impact on the way the game conducts its business. He's had a huge influence on the draft, and just look at events of last winter and this coming winter -- when the "opt out'' clauses for J.D. Drew and now Alex Rodriguez are helping to drive the market. Boras is very innovative at outsmarting clubs and sticking clauses into deals that will come back and work to his advantage down the road. Now, with Daisuke Matsuzaka, he's extended his reach into Japan, and I wouldn't be surprised if he takes aim at the Japanese "posting'' system. Love him or hate him, the guy is brilliant at what he does.

BC: Is baseball better off without the reserve clause and with free agency?

JC: I think baseball is better off without the reserve system and unfettered free agency. First of all, if you've read "Ball Four'' and some other accounts from the 1960s, there's something unsettling and un-American about the way owners used to treat players like cattle and lie to them routinely while pocketing all the money. So we have the matter of principle. And it's hard to argue with the state of the game today: Attendance is at an all-time high, baseball has gone from generating $1.2 billion in revenue in the early '90s to $5-6 billion today, and we've had seven different World Series winners since 2000. Sure, big spenders such as the Yankees have an advantage because of their revenue, but there's still room for a smart, enterprising GM to build a contending club. It all starts with developing players on the farm, and you supplement that through free agency.

BC: When it's all said and done, do you think the strike of 1994, and any strike or lockout, is good for the game - or business - of baseball?

JC: A strike or lockout can have a positive effect at times, if there are enough sweeping changes and a "cleansing'' effect to overcome the short-term pain. The 1994 shutdown wasn't one of those cases, because the revenue sharing and luxury tax system weren't introduced until later. But it was such a difficult ordeal for baseball, I think Bud Selig, the other owners and the Players Association vowed to do everything in their power to prevent it from happening again. They've smarted up and realized that an imperfect system is preferable to a stoppage that could set the game back years. In that respect, I think the cancellation of the 1994 World Series served a valuable purpose.

BC: The biggest story of the season so far is Roger Clemens' signing with the Yankees after three seasons (or 2 1/2) with the Houston Astros. Do you think the Clemens contracts of the past few years will mark a new trend for superstars: the half-season, benefit-laden, flexible contracts? Or is this an isolated, tailor-made situation for a future Hall of Famer?

JC: Maybe someone will piggyback on the Clemens arrangement and try it out, but I don't think it's the start of a trend. Just look at recent comments from guys like David Wells and Greg Maddux, who say they enjoy being part of the clubhouse cameraderie and have no desire to parachute in every five days like the Rocket. Clemens is a novel case: He might be the greatest pitcher in major league history. He's still an impact guy at 44, but chances are he wouldn't be nearly as effective if subjected to the eight-month grind. And this year, the Yankees were flat out desperate to sign him. Clemens is still good enough -- and teams are sufficiently desperate for pitching -- that he can make $4.5 million a month. But if he goes 6-8 with a 4.75 ERA, the press is going to start ripping his arrangement, and his sweetheart deal will be seen in a whole new, more negative light.

To read more words written by Jerry Crasnick, check out his archive at ESPN by clicking here. And for the education program offered by the Baseball Hall of Fame's Education Department on labor history, "Hardball & Handshakes," click here.

Not only was Lou Gehrig a great baseball player, but he was a great person as well. Click here to view the online thematic unit for integrating character education into the classroom, as we do with our educational program "Lou Gehrig: The Iron Horse."

And of course the man who broke Lou Gehrig's consecutive games streak, Cal Ripken Jr, will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 29, 2007 here in Cooperstown. To schedule an educational program about Lou Gehrig with the Hall of Fame's Education Department, simply e-mail us or call 607.547.0347 today.

(For an excellent story on Chris, see this ESPN piece by Jeff Bradley)

This interview took place shortly before the Padres took on the Dodgers in Chavez Ravine. Chris also had the honor of pitching for the Padres on Jackie Robinson Day on Sunday night.

Baseball in the Classroom: You're the first baseball player that we've interviewed for the blog, so it's kind of a landmark for us.

Chris Young: I appreciate you taking the time to do it.

BC: We have 13 educational modules that we offer and they all use baseball as a platform for teaching subjects that teachers use in the curriculum, and obviously one of our more popular ones is our Civil Rights module. Looking at your background not just as someone who is Ivy League educated but also a baseball player, you probably have some special insight that kids and teachers would find interesting. You wrote your senior thesis on Jackie Robinson and brought a much different perspective to the subject not just because of the color of your skin but also because you play baseball, what about your research stood out to you the most?

CY: Jackie Robinson was a variable for the paper, the subject was how the media shapes attitudes and stereotypes for the general public. The premise would then be if there was a shift in attitude and stereotype in the media then there would be the same shift among the general population. The data I collected provided evidence that it was true. The thing that jumped out to me the most I guess was just how influential the media can be.

BC: You are pitching on Sunday night against the Dodgers - obviously Jackie's old team - on Jackie Robinson Day. What impact does that have on you as a player and with your background?

CY: It's a great honor, and I think it's great that they are honoring Jackie Robinson with the tribute, but once the game starts - and even before the game I'll be focused on what I need to do. I would almost appreciate it more if I wasn't pitching that night, I could step back and enjoy the ceremonies and celebrations. For me it's a normal game and I'm going to treat it as such.

BC: Attending an Ivy League school, clearly education is important to you. What advice can you give students, and specifically student-athletes, as they balance school and athletics or other extra-curricular activities?

CY: There are a lot of life lessons that can be learned on the athletic field or the playing court and that your character doesn't change off the court. The same character that you show on the athletic field is the same character that you will show in the classroom. Just because you're a good athlete doesn't mean you can slack off in school. Just because you're smart doesn't mean you can't be a good athlete. The academic and the athletic arenas transcend and it's important to do your best in both.

BC: One of the most interesting characters in baseball history is Moe Berg, who also attended Princeton. Did you hear any cool Moe Berg stories while you were in school?

CY: No, not really at school, but I have read the book "The Catcher Was a Spy."

BC: That's a great book.

CY: Yeah, it's great, and certainly interesting to know who Moe Berg is and what he did - and the fact that he went to Princeton makes him all the more intriguing.

BC: Chris, thanks very much - I certainly appreciate it, and good luck Sunday night.

CY: Thanks very much.

You can learn about the womens' struggle for equality in baseball with the Hall of Fame's education program "Dirt on Their Skirts." Schedule a program by calling 607-547-0347 today!

Join the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Ball State University, and the National Park Service for a sobering visit to the Manzanar War Relocation Center. This National Historic Site provides a compelling classroom to relive the experience of Japanese Americans held captive during World War II, as well as the plight of countless nationalities who face discrimination and intolerance still today. This is a tale of the indomitable Issei and Nisei generations. Learn through the emotional memories of survivors, and the invincible cheers of detainees’ baseball games that still echo across the desert valley.

To view the archived Electronic Field Trip, follow this link...

Sacrilege, you say? This is not the first time that baseball has changed something about baseball uniforms to increase players' comfort or performance. It is, however, the first time that baseball caps have been completely changed since 1954.

How else have uniforms been altered by MLB in order to reflect happenings in society or for player's comfort and performance? Schedule "A Stitch In Time" via videoconference to learn how uniforms have changed - and why!

Call 607-547-0347 or e-mail us for more details!

Bernice Gera, of Ernest, Pennsylvania, began a new career at 36 years of age at the Florida Baseball Umpire School in West Palm Beach, Florida in 1967. Umpiring at the National Baseball Congress Tournament in Wichita, Kansas, she wanted to umpire a professional game - to be the first female to do so. She called games in various organizations in the New York City area, but was not allowed into the National Association of Baseball Leagues as an umpire, because she did not meet height, weight, and age standards. In October 1969 the New York Human Rights Division heard her case to allow her to complete her dream. On March 15, 1971 the case went before the New York Court of Appeals and on this day, 35 years ago, the court ruled in her favor. On June 24, 1972 Gera umpired her first professional baseball game - a doubleheader between Auburn and Geneva in the New York-Penn League. Gera umpired the first game and resigned before the 2nd game started, becoming the first woman to umpire a professional game.

Learn more about women's history and baseball at the Baseball Hall of Fame with the educational module "Dirt on Their Skirts!" To schedule a field trip or connect via videoconference in this standards-based lesson - call us at 607.547.0347 or e-mail us today!

Talk to you soon...

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