When MLB greats faced HSUS backlash: "Pedro Martinez and Juan Marichal exhibited appallingly bad judgment in participating in staged animal fight"

In 2008, Pedro Martinez and Juan Marichal faced severe backlash from animal welfare organizations for attending a cockfighting fight in the Dominican Republic. Both legendary players, albeit from different eras, were called insensitive for abusing their privilege.

Marichal, the elder of the two, predominantly played in the 1960s with the San Francisco Giants. He's a ten-time All-Star and also won the National League Most Wins award as a pitcher in 1968. His jersey No.27 was retired by the Giants.

Pedro, 51, reached his sporting peak towards the end of the 1990s while with the Montreal Expos and Boston Red Sox. He's an eight-time All-Star and won the Cy Young award three times between 1997 and 2001. Both are the first two Dominican Republic players to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

In 2008, a YouTube video showed both players attending a cockfighting championship where two cocks fought each other to death. Human Rights activist groups spoke out against the two players. Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS) president Wayne Pacelle had said:

“Animal fighting has no place whatsoever among those who presume to be role models for youngsters not in this country and not elsewhere. Pedro Martinez and Juan Marichal exhibited appallingly bad judgment in participating in a staged animal fight. It doesn’t excuse the behavior to find a legal haven for this reprehensible and inhumane conduct. It is animal cruelty, no matter where it occurs.”

PETA too sent letters to both Pedro Martinez and Juan Marichal after the incident, inviting them to their animal sensitivity programme.

"It's shocking that in the light of what happened with Michael Vick that these guys would show such poor judgment," PETA spokesman Dan Shannon said. "The ball is in (Martinez's) court - we're ready to do the training when he is."

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Pedro Martinez said that cockfighting is part of Dominican culture

Pedro Martinez defended his presence in the controversial event by saying that it's a custom in their home country and that cockfighting as an activity is completely legal. He also added that he was invited to attend by his 'idol' Juan Marichal and was not a participant, saying:

"I understand that people are upset. This is part of our Dominican culture and is legal in the Dominican Republic," Martinez, had said in a statement. "I was invited by my idol Juan Marichal to attend the event as a spectator, not as a participant."

The backdrop in which both baseball players were embroiled in the controversy was quite disturbing. Michael Vick, an MLB player, was sentenced to 23 months in prison in 2008 after he plead guilty to major involvement in a dogfighting ring.