![]() The next few years saw Flood develop into a top flight defensive center fielder for the Cardinals. Flood saw little action in the majors his first few years. In those days, every player was a free agent to start their career. Two other players from his high school team would make it to the majors Frank Robinson and Vada Pinson. Curt Flood in his heydayĬurt Flood signed with the Cincinnati Reds at the age of 18 in 1956. The case, however, would pave the way for others to take their talents to the highest bidder. Although the 1969 court case of Curt Flood failed to win him his own freedom, Flood began a three year journey to escape from a contract that never set him free. And, most likely, it will continue to be in the future. Player movement has been brisk since the mid 1970s. Today, one rarely sees a player play their entire professional sports career with one team. The rule means that when a player has played for a team for five straight years and played in the MLB for a total of ten years, they have to give the club their permission to be traded.When Derek Jeter reaches 3,000 hits in May or June of 2011, it will be something we, as a viewing public, might not see again in our lifetime. Not only did Flood help modify the Reserve Clause, he also helped bring in the 10/5 rule, which is also known as the Curt Flood Rule. This act did exactly what Flood wanted it stopped owners from controlling the players’ contracts and careers. “he conduct, acts, practices, or agreements of persons’ in the business of organized professional major league baseball directly relating to or affecting employment of major league baseball players to play baseball at the major league level are subject to the antitrust laws to the same extent such conduct, acts, practices or agreements would be subject to the antitrust laws if engaged in by persons in other professional sports business affecting interstate commerce.” ![]() Roberts, a graduate, and author in the Marquette Law Scholarly Journal, explains the Act as: 26 years after the lawsuit the Curt Flood Act of 1998 saw life. Major League Baseball agreed to federal arbitration of players’ salary demands in 1973, and in 1975 an arbitrator effectively threw out the reserve clause, paving the way for free agency in baseball and all professional sports. Next, to the negative effects for his own career, Flood’s lawsuit eventually led to positive developments too. I doubt even one of the 24 men controlling the game would touch me with a 10-foot pole. As big as it is, baseball is a closely-knit unit. And besides, I don’t think I’ll be getting the opportunity to play again. Flood realized this lawsuit would be the end of his career as he stated: “It would be difficult to come back. Even though he got support from great players like Jackie Robinson and Hank Greenberg and former owner Bill Veeck, he suffered as none of the active players did testify on his behalf, and the court ruled against him in a 5-3 decision in 1972.Īt the peak of his career at 31 years old, Flood did not only lose the lawsuit but also his career as he was blackballed when none of the MLB clubs offered him an opportunity to play. Kuhn, the historic case that followed, Flood argued that the reserve clause violated antitrust laws and violated the 13th Amendment, which barred slavery and involuntary servitude.Īfter a district court rejected Flood’s case, it went to the U.S. Kuhn denied Flood’s request to be made a free agent, and Flood decided to sue. His reasons were the poor record of the team, the obsolete Connie Mack Stadium and the racist Phillies fans.Īfter the Cardinals traded Flood to the Philadelphia Phillies in October 1969, Flood wrote a letter to Kuhn in late December, protesting the league’s player reserve clause, which didn’t allow players to move to another team unless they were traded. Three-time All-Star, seven-time Gold Glove winner and two-time World Series winner, Curt Flood didn’t want to move to Philadelphia. Louis Cardinals, filed a lawsuit against MLB’s commissioner Bowie Kuhn and all 24 MLB teams. ![]() ![]() Today in 1970, Gold Glove outfielder Curt Flood, after refusing to report at Spring Training of the Philadelphia Phillies after he was traded by the St. ![]()
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