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Found this article on "Glob and Mail News"
Bull Durham thrown a curveball
Globe and Mail Update
The baseball Hall of Fame has cancelled a 15th anniversary celebration of the film Bull Durham because of antiwar criticism by Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon.
Hall president Dale Petroskey sent a letter to the actors this week telling them the festivities April 26-27 at Cooperstown, N.Y., had been called off.
Petroskey, a former White House assistant press secretary under Ronald Reagan, said the actors' recent comments "ultimately could put our troops in even more danger."
Reached Wednesday night, Robbins said he was "dismayed" by the decision. He responded with a letter he planned to send to Petroskey, telling him, "You belong with the cowards and ideologues in a hall of infamy and shame."
The weekend affair, planned months ago, also was to feature Bull Durham actor Robert Wuhl and writer-director Ron Shelton.
Robbins plays an up-and-coming minor league pitcher in the 1988 film and Sarandon plays a fan who helps him focus his erratic talent. Kevin Costner also starred in the movie.
Instead of commemorating the movie, the Hall cancelled the celebration in a letter sent Tuesday to the scheduled participants.
"In a free country such as ours, every American has the right to his or her own opinions, and to express them. Public figures, such as you, have platforms much larger than the average American's, which provides you an extraordinary opportunity to have your views heard — and an equally large obligation to act and speak responsibly," Petroskey wrote.
"We believe your very public criticism of President Bush at this important — and sensitive — time in our nation's history helps undermine the U.S. position, which ultimately could put our troops in even more danger. As an institution, we stand behind our President and our troops in this conflict."
Robbins and Sarandon, his longtime partner, have been active in peace rallies to protest the war in Iraq.
In his letter, Robbins said he'd been looking forward to "a weekend away from politics and war." He said he remained "skeptical" of the war plans and told Petroskey he did not realize baseball was "a Republican sport."
"I am sorry that you have chosen to use baseball and your position at the Hall of Fame to make a political statement," Robbins wrote. "I know there are many baseball fans that disagree with you, and even more that will react with disgust to realize baseball is being politicized.
"To suggest that my criticism of the President put the troops in danger is absurd. ... I wish you had, in your letter, saved me the rhetoric and talked honestly about your ties to the Bush and Reagan administrations."
Robbins signed his letter with a reference to an old World Series champion: "Long live democracy, free speech and the '69 Mets — all improbable, glorious miracles that I have always believed in."
Bull Durham thrown a curveball
Globe and Mail Update
The baseball Hall of Fame has cancelled a 15th anniversary celebration of the film Bull Durham because of antiwar criticism by Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon.
Hall president Dale Petroskey sent a letter to the actors this week telling them the festivities April 26-27 at Cooperstown, N.Y., had been called off.
Petroskey, a former White House assistant press secretary under Ronald Reagan, said the actors' recent comments "ultimately could put our troops in even more danger."
Reached Wednesday night, Robbins said he was "dismayed" by the decision. He responded with a letter he planned to send to Petroskey, telling him, "You belong with the cowards and ideologues in a hall of infamy and shame."
The weekend affair, planned months ago, also was to feature Bull Durham actor Robert Wuhl and writer-director Ron Shelton.
Robbins plays an up-and-coming minor league pitcher in the 1988 film and Sarandon plays a fan who helps him focus his erratic talent. Kevin Costner also starred in the movie.
Instead of commemorating the movie, the Hall cancelled the celebration in a letter sent Tuesday to the scheduled participants.
"In a free country such as ours, every American has the right to his or her own opinions, and to express them. Public figures, such as you, have platforms much larger than the average American's, which provides you an extraordinary opportunity to have your views heard — and an equally large obligation to act and speak responsibly," Petroskey wrote.
"We believe your very public criticism of President Bush at this important — and sensitive — time in our nation's history helps undermine the U.S. position, which ultimately could put our troops in even more danger. As an institution, we stand behind our President and our troops in this conflict."
Robbins and Sarandon, his longtime partner, have been active in peace rallies to protest the war in Iraq.
In his letter, Robbins said he'd been looking forward to "a weekend away from politics and war." He said he remained "skeptical" of the war plans and told Petroskey he did not realize baseball was "a Republican sport."
"I am sorry that you have chosen to use baseball and your position at the Hall of Fame to make a political statement," Robbins wrote. "I know there are many baseball fans that disagree with you, and even more that will react with disgust to realize baseball is being politicized.
"To suggest that my criticism of the President put the troops in danger is absurd. ... I wish you had, in your letter, saved me the rhetoric and talked honestly about your ties to the Bush and Reagan administrations."
Robbins signed his letter with a reference to an old World Series champion: "Long live democracy, free speech and the '69 Mets — all improbable, glorious miracles that I have always believed in."
