He was (and still is) kind of wierd, but I don't think he did anything to dishonor baseball. If anything, baseball could use a quirky charecter like Bill Lee. It might make things more interesting and would be a lot more fun than cry baby millionaires whining about the media.

Bill Lee admitted to smoking marijuana, had controversial views on segregation and bussing, and called his manager the Designated Gerbil. Given that the manager in question was Don Zimmer, I think he was understating things. Most of the assaults on Lee came from sports writers who thought athletes should be clean-cut Ken Doll types, and Lee didn't fit the mould. As he said once: In baseball they expect you to sit on the bench, chew tobacco and nod at stupid things.

I think earning the Spaceman label was a help to baseball, rather than a disgrace. What's the difference between him and Tug McGraw? McGraw was a spaceman without the insubordination.