Granted the stakes were much higher in the case of Attucks, who lost his life. That ruling officially ushered in the era of free agency.īut it was Flood, who in my mind, became the Crispus Attucks of Major League Baseball.
The turning point came in 1975 when pitchers Andy Messersmith and Dave McNally won arbitration. “Was it important in the context of baseball history? Absolutely,” said Selig, who believes Flood paved the road to free agency while owners “weren’t quite ready for it in 19.” His contribution to baseball, although highly debated at the time, is generally recognized as a benefit to players and the game.
#CURT FLOOD MADE AGENCY POSSIBLE FOR FREE#
He began the process of emancipation that freed players from the tyranny of owners and set the stage for free agency. “It was an important moment in time because it was the precursor to all the events that took place in the 1970s that brought free agency to baseball,” former MLB commissioner Bud Selig said during a phone interview last week.įlood’s bold act of resistance transformed the business of baseball. Although he lost his challenge, Flood made his mark. In a letter to commissioner Bowie Kuhn, Flood wrote: “After 12 years in the major leagues I do not feel that I am a piece of property to be bought and sold irrespective of my wishes.”įlood challenged baseball’s restrictive reserve clause and the game’s antitrust status. It was a decision that sent tremors throughout the sports world. Louis Cardinals’ star outfielder and a 10-year veteran, was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. Across Major League Baseball, April 15 has been designated as Jackie Robinson Day in honor of the memory and legacy of the man who broke baseball’s color barrier and helped change the United States.īut Major League Baseball should also recognize the 50th anniversary of the actions of a man who revolutionized baseball’s business model and boldly began the process of setting his fellow players free.
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