Dear Detroit Tigers, FSD:
On behalf of many Detroit Tigers fans, I am writing to request that you please bring back Mario Impemba for the 2019 baseball season.
Late last season, you suspended Mario and his longtime broadcast partner Rod Allen following an altercation that took place in Chicago following a Tigers game against the White Sox. About a month later, you announced that both men had been relieved of their duties and that they would not be returning for the 2019 season.
Though I certainly respect your decision, I am hoping that you hear me out.
As you know, we are ALL human and we ALL make mistakes in our lives. Sometimes, those mistakes get brushed under the rug, while other times there are consequences to pay. But it is important to remember that the consequence has to fit the crime.
In my opinion, the consequence which has been imposed on Impemba (and Allen) absolutely does not fit the crime.
Mario Impemba loves the city of Detroit and he loves the Detroit Tigers. Announcing Tigers’ games is something he dreamed of for a long time and when his dream came true, he made the most of it. For 17 seasons (over 2,000) games, Impemba put his heart and soul into his job and Tigers’ fans loved him for it.
But on one September night, Mario (and Rod) made a mistake. Two grown men let their tempers get the best of them and things (allegedly) got physical. I am confident that both men regret what happened that night and I am also confident they have learned from their mistakes.
You see, we all deserve a second chance when we make a mistake as Mario and Rod made. We all deserve a chance to prove who we truly are as a person and Mario (and Rod) deserve that opportunity.
So, I am requesting that you bring back Mario Impemba for the 2019 season. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it is what the overwhelming majority of Detroit Tigers fans want.
Sincerely,
Don Drysdale
