Bud Selig facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bud Selig
Selig in October 2010
Commissioner Emeritus of Baseball
Incumbent
Life tenure January 25, 2015
Preceded by	Position created
9th Commissioner of Baseball
In office July 9, 1998 – January 25, 2015 Acting: September 7, 1992 – July 9, 1998
Preceded by	Fay Vincent
Succeeded by	Rob Manfred
Personal details
Born	Allan Huber Selig (1934-07-30) July 30, 1934 (age 90) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Spouses	Donna Chaimson ​ ​ (m. 1956; div. 1976)​ Suzanne Lappin Steinman ​ (m. 1977)​
Alma mater	University of Wisconsin–Madison (BA)
Baseball career
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction	2017
Vote	93.8%
Election Method	Today's Game Era Committee

Allan Huber "Bud" Selig (born July 30, 1934) is an American baseball leader. He is currently the Commissioner Emeritus of Baseball. This means he holds an honorary title after his time as the main commissioner.

Before this, he was the ninth commissioner of baseball from 1998 to 2015. He first served as the acting commissioner starting in 1992. During his time, Selig helped baseball grow a lot. He introduced new ideas like the wild card and interleague play. He also helped create the World Baseball Classic in 2006.

Selig is known for helping baseball's finances improve greatly. The sport's income increased by 400 percent during his leadership. Attendance at games also reached new records every year. He worked to make sure baseball was a fair and exciting sport for everyone.

Selig was also the owner and president of the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team. He bought the team in 1970 and kept baseball in Milwaukee. The Brewers played in the 1982 World Series under his ownership. Selig was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2017.

Early Life and Baseball Passion

Bud Selig was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He grew up in a Jewish family. His father, Ben Selig, came to the United States from Romania. Bud graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1956. He earned a degree in American history and political science.

After college, he served two years in the U.S. Army. Then, he worked with his father in a car leasing business. Selig still works in the car industry today.

His love for baseball came from his mother, Marie Selig. She was an immigrant from Ukraine and a school teacher. When Bud was three, his mother took him and his brother to Borchert Field. This was where the minor league Milwaukee Brewers played.

When the Boston Braves moved to Milwaukee in 1953, Selig became a big fan. He even became the team's largest public stockholder. He was very sad when the Braves left Milwaukee for Atlanta in 1965. After they left, he sold his shares in the team.

Milwaukee Brewers Owner

Selig wanted to bring Major League Baseball back to Milwaukee. He started a group called Teams, Inc. to try and keep the Braves in the city. When that didn't work, he changed the group's name to Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club, Inc. This was named after the minor league team he loved as a kid.

Selig arranged for major league games to be played in Milwaukee. The first game, a pre-season match, drew over 51,000 fans. He then hosted many regular-season games for the Chicago White Sox. These games were very popular and showed how much Milwaukee wanted baseball.

In 1969, Selig tried to buy the White Sox to move them to Milwaukee. But the American League said no. So, in 1970, he bought the Seattle Pilots team, which was having financial trouble. He moved them to Milwaukee and officially renamed them the Brewers.

During his time as the Brewers' president, the team had great success. They reached the playoffs in 1981 and the 1982 World Series in 1982. Star players like Robin Yount and Paul Molitor led the team. The Brewers also won seven "Organization of the Year" awards.

When Selig became the Commissioner of Baseball, he transferred ownership of the Brewers to his daughter, Wendy Selig-Prieb. This was to avoid any conflicts of interest. The team was later sold to Mark Attanasio in 2005.

In 2001, Selig was inducted into the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame. A statue of Selig, called the Selig Monument, was put up outside Miller Park in Milwaukee in 2010.

Acting Commissioner (1992–1998)

Selig became a strong voice among team owners. He led a group that wanted to remove Commissioner Fay Vincent. After a vote, Vincent resigned. Selig then became the acting commissioner.

One of his first big changes was to add the Wild Card to the playoffs. This meant more teams had a chance to make the playoffs. Some fans liked this because it kept more teams in the race. Others felt it made the regular season less important.

Selig also took disciplinary action against Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott in 1993. He also brought back New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner from a past suspension.

As acting commissioner, Selig was involved in the 1994 strike. On September 15, he canceled the World Series. This was the first time the World Series had not been played since 1904. During this time, interleague play was also started in 1997.

Commissioner (1998–2015)

After a long search, the team owners officially voted Selig as the permanent Commissioner on July 9, 1998.

During his time, Major League Baseball avoided more player strikes. This was thanks to new agreements with the players in 2002 and 2006.

Selig also combined the offices of the National and American leagues in 2000. Before this, they had separate leaders and rules. Now, the Commissioner's Office handles everything.

After September 11, 2001

On September 11, 2001, Selig ordered all baseball games to be postponed for a week. This was due to the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. It was done out of respect for the victims and for the safety of fans and players.

Plans to Reduce Teams

After the 2001 World Series, Selig considered reducing the number of teams. This plan faced legal challenges and was eventually stopped. The Minnesota Twins were able to play their 2002 season. A new labor agreement between players and owners also helped resolve the issue.

Changes to the All-Star Game

The 2002 All-Star Game ended in a tie. This happened in Selig's hometown of Milwaukee. Both teams had used all their players, and the game couldn't continue safely. Selig later said this outcome was "embarrassing."

To make the All-Star Game more exciting, Selig made a big change. Starting in 2003, the league that won the All-Star Game would get home-field advantage in the World Series. This rule lasted until 2016.

Disciplinary Actions

On July 1, 2005, Selig suspended Texas Rangers pitcher Kenny Rogers. This was for an incident where Rogers pushed news reporters. Selig upheld the suspension, but an independent arbitrator later reduced it.

Post-Season Schedule

Selig decided to extend the baseball post-season into November. This was done to try and get more people to watch the games. However, many people in baseball did not like this change. They felt it made the season too long.

End of His Term

Selig announced in 2006 that he would retire in 2009. But he later agreed to stay longer. He extended his contract several times. He finally retired as Commissioner in January 2015, after leading baseball for many years.

After Being Commissioner

After retiring, Selig continued to be involved in baseball. In 2021, he helped choose candidates for the Baseball Hall of Fame. He helped elect Bud Fowler and Buck O'Neil.

Major Changes Under Bud Selig

Bud Selig oversaw many important changes in Major League Baseball:

• Teams were reorganized into three divisions per league.
• The wild card playoff teams were introduced (1994).
• Interleague play began (1997).
• Jackie Robinson's uniform number, 42, was retired across all MLB teams (1997).
• Two new teams were added: the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now the Tampa Bay Rays) (1998).
• The Milwaukee Brewers moved from the American League to the National League (1998).
• The separate offices for the American and National leagues were removed (2000).
• A new schedule was introduced where teams played more games against teams in their own division (2001).
• The winner of the All-Star Game got home-field advantage in the World Series (2003).
• The Montreal Expos team moved to Washington, D.C., becoming the Washington Nationals (2004).
• April 15 was named Jackie Robinson Day (2004).
• Stricter rules were put in place to ensure fair competition among players (2005).
• The World Baseball Classic tournament began (2006).
• Instant replay was added for disputed home run calls (2008).
• A second wild-card playoff team was added in each league (2012).
• The Houston Astros moved from the National League to the American League (2013). This made sure both leagues had the same number of teams.
• Expanded instant replay was introduced, allowing managers to challenge calls (2014).

Many new stadiums were also built during his time as commissioner. These include parks in Arizona, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Houston, Milwaukee, New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C.

Selig Experience

In May 2015, the Milwaukee Brewers honored Bud Selig with a special exhibit. It's called the Selig Experience and is located at American Family Field (formerly Miller Park). It's a fifteen-minute film that shows Bud Selig's life and his work for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Personal Life

Selig (left) and his wife, Suzanne (right), with Barack Obama at the 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

Bud Selig has been married twice. He has two daughters, Sari and Wendy, from his first marriage. Since 1977, he has been married to Suzanne Steinman.

Teaching Career

In 2009, Selig started teaching at Marquette University Law School. He taught about sports law and how sports affect society. He covered topics like the history of player agreements and why baseball has special rules.

In 2010, he helped create a special teaching position at his old university, the University of Wisconsin. It's called the Allan H. Selig Chair in the History of Sport and Society in the United States. He also started a lecture series there.

In 2016, Selig began teaching at Arizona State University. He is a distinguished professor of sports in America. He also continues to lecture at the University of Wisconsin and Marquette.

Honors and Awards

Selig (right) receiving the Outstanding Civilian Service Award from Army Chief of Staff Ray Odierno in 2015

In April 2015, Selig received the U.S. Department of the Army Outstanding Civilian Service Award. This was for his support of soldiers, veterans, and their families through his work in baseball. On April 6, 2015, the Milwaukee Brewers retired his uniform number 1 in his honor.

In 2014, Selig was added to the first-ever Milwaukee Brewers Wall of Honor. On December 4, 2016, it was announced that Selig was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He was officially inducted on July 30, 2017.

In 2016, Selig received the "Lombardi Award of Excellence." This award honors individuals who show the same spirit as Coach Vince Lombardi.

See also

• Selig v. United States