Fay Vincent, the former commissioner of Major League Baseball, has passed away at the age of 86. Following the news of his death, current MLB commissioner Rob Manfred released a statement reflecting on Vincent's significant contributions to the league during his tenure as commissioner from 1989 to 1992.

Vincent's career took a pivotal turn when he was elected MLB's eighth commissioner in September 1989, following the unexpected death of Bart Giamatti from a heart attack. Just five months prior, Vincent had been appointed as the league's first deputy commissioner. His time in office was marked by notable challenges, including navigating the impact of the 1989 World Series, which was interrupted by the Loma Prieta earthquake shortly before Game 3 between the Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants. The series was postponed for ten days before resuming on October 27. Additionally, Vincent oversaw a five-week owners' lockout four months after taking office.

During his tenure, Vincent took decisive actions, including banning then-New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner from day-to-day management for hiring a gambler to uncover negative information about player Dave Winfield amid a contract dispute. Vincent also played a crucial role in MLB's expansion in the early 1990s, leading to the addition of the Florida Marlins and Colorado Rockies to the National League. His decision to allocate expansion revenue disfavorably towards the American League—$190 million for National League clubs versus $42 million for American League teams—reflected his inclination to support players, which ultimately led to a vote of "no confidence" from the owners in September 1992, prompting his resignation. Reflecting on his departure in a later interview, Vincent expressed his disillusionment with the owners’ approach to collective bargaining negotiations. Following his resignation, MLB did not appoint an official commissioner for another six years, with Bob Selig stepping in as acting commissioner until 1998.