D’Angelo: South Florida judge makes a case for baseball and the law

From Bob D’Angelo at the Tampa Tribune on April 6, 2016, with mention of SABR member Lou Schiff:

Broward County Judge Louis Schiff is a passionate baseball fan. To him, Opening Day is “better than any holiday or birthday.” His chambers contain baseball memorabilia, including autographed baseballs. As a youth growing up in New York, he idolized Mets first baseman Ed Kranepool and dreamed of the day when he might meet him. He still has every one of Kranepool’s regular issued Topps baseball cards from the 1960s and ’70s. On Tuesday, he was at Marlins Park to watch Miami’s home opener against Detroit, won 8-7 by the Tigers in 11 innings.

“I’m a baseball nerd,” the 60-year-old says with unabashed pride.

Schiff visited Tropicana Field in 2010 to watch the Rays blank the Baltimore Orioles 5-0 on September 28 as David Price won his 19th game. He has more than a passing interest in the Rays’ efforts to find a new stadium site. In fact, the litigation that could result if the Rays move would fit in nicely in the next edition of a law school textbook he recently co-authored.

“The breach of contract with underlying lease. It is really a lawyer’s dream to have a baseball team that is moving,” Schiff said.

“Baseball and The Law: Cases and Materials” (Carolina Academic Press; hardback; $120; 1,014 pages) is co-written by Schiff and Nova Southeastern law professor Robert M. Jarvis. It covers a slew of cases involving baseball and the law, running the gamut from Flood v. Kuhn (1972) and Philadelphia Ball Club v. Lajoie (1902) to the 1995 Tampa baseball case (Morsani v. Major League Baseball). Readers can find litigation involving George Steinbrenner, Pete Rose, John Rocker and the Black Sox, along with cases about antitrust laws, fans, teams, commissioners, broadcast rights, gambling, owner conduct, competitive balance, baseball cards and even hot dogs being shot into the stands. It’s the first book for Schiff and the 21st for Jarvis.

Read the full article here: http://www.tbo.com/sports/blogs/sports-bookie/south-florida-judge-makes-a-case-for-baseball-and-the-law-20160406/



Originally published: April 18, 2016. Last Updated: April 18, 2016.