![]() ![]() Simply for the purpose of disclosure, before I faced my first free agent option later in the 70's I had to read his book for my own knowledge and strength, because even then both employers and the public were not quite ready for this newly won right for players. His career statement was made (in hindsight before its time), and his career was cut short. He challenged that law all the way up to the Supreme Court of America. Louis Cardinals, he had to unceremoniously walk away from his stellar career because he challenged the "Baseball Reserve Clause", the baseball law that bound a player to a team until he was either traded or released. Despite being a three time NL All Star, a seven time Gold Glover, and a two time World Champion with the St. This is quite timely, as Free Agency is the primary topic of discussion today between Major League Baseball Players, the MLBPA and Major League Baseball this 2018 Spring Training.Ĭurt Flood, born in Houston, Texas in 1938, became a professional baseball player in 1956, and played his last game in 1971. He paved the way for thousands of young players in Major League Baseball, who have since have received the benefits from his career decisions related to the right called Free Agency. The takeaway of this story was that this professional baseball player took the first steps towards achieving fairness, and freedom of choice for the workplace in all sports. Time Magazine named him one of the 10 Most Influential Athletes of the 20th Century. With that recognition and before I head to Spring Training I wanted to share with you a poem about Curt Flood, a historic, multifaceted figure that Major League Baseball wasn't very good to. We are now in late February, Black History Month. Subjects: African American History, People Terms: Media - Radio and Television, 20th Century (1900-1999), United States-Washington D.Dave Winfield presenting a work by Oscar Brown, Jr. Through his actions off the field, Curt Flood became one of the most influential individuals in the fight for Major League Baseball player rights. ![]() In 1975, Major League Baseball began to dismantle the reserve clause, allowing players to obtain free agent status upon the conclusion of their Major League contracts. Although he lost his battle with the reserve clause, other major league players would benefit from his actions. After he retired, Flood spent time as a broadcaster for the Oakland Athletics.Ĭurtis Charles Flood passed away in 1997 at the age of 59 as a result of throat cancer. He played with the Senators for two months before quitting the team and leaving for Europe where he spent time painting and writing his autobiography The Way It Is, which was released in 1971. Supreme Court, which ruled 5-3 in favor of Major League Baseball.įlood sat out the 1970 season and was signed by the Washington Senators in 1971. Kuhn worked its way quickly through the court system to the U.S. Flood then filed a $1 million lawsuit in 1970 against Kuhn and Major League Baseball. He petitioned the League’s commissioner Bowie Kuhn to allow for him to become a free agent, which meant he would have the right to go to the team of his choice. Louis Cardinals to trade Flood without his consent. Instead he and the Major League Baseball Player’s Association (MLBPA) challenged the Major League Baseball reserve clause, which allowed for the St. Flood refused this trade, giving up a $100,000 annual salary. Louis Cardinals to the Philadelphia Phillies – a team which at the time had a struggling record and according to Flood, had racist fans. ![]() After the 1969 season, he was traded from the St. During his eleven seasons with the Cardinals, Flood became one of the premier outfielders in the American League, going 226 games without an error, winning the Golden Glove Award seven times and helping the Cardinals win two World Series Championships in 19.Ĭurt Flood, however, is more widely known for his actions off the baseball field. Louis Cardinals in 1958 where he played until 1969. After two seasons with the Reds, Flood was traded to the St. Showing great promise he signed a contract in 1956 with the National League Cincinnati Reds while he was an 18-year-old senior at Oakland Technical High School. Curt Flood, an American Major League Baseball player best known for his challenge of the “reserve clause,” was born Januin Houston, Texas and was raised in Oakland, California.įlood began playing baseball as a youth. ![]()
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