Baseball may be America’s Pastime, but it will always be BUD SELIG's "passion," as he left an "immense footprint on the game after serving 22 years" as MLB commissioner, according to a front-page piece by Brett Christopherson of the Appleton POST-CRESCENT. Selig's impact on MLB includes the "implementation of interleague play" and the "addition of the three-division format." He was behind playoff expansion and brought "revenue sharing and competitive balance." Selig saw the "stadium boom" and the "addition of replay." During his tenure there was "attendance and economic growth." He saw the implementation of a "comprehensive drug-testing program." He aided in the "globalization" of baseball with the World Baseball Classic. He was involved in the "creation and immense success" of MLBAM and the "reach of baseball’s interactive brand." Perhaps his "most impressive" feat was achieving "prolonged labor peace." Selig said, "I really knew what the game needed. What I didn’t always know is how difficult it would be, how painful it would be. But you learn to live with that, too." Selig currently serves as MLB's inaugural Commissioner Emeritus, and he said, "I was very honored when [current MLB Commissioner] ROB MANFRED came to me and said that they wanted to do it. The duties are almost what you make of it. And what Rob and I, who have a very close relationship. ... It allows me to do all the other things that I’ve been doing, like teaching and so on and so forth. But I’m glad to continue to have at least something to do with the sport that I love" (Appleton POST-CRESCENT, 7/17).
