

- Curt flood made agency other pro pro#
- Curt flood made agency other pro professional#
- Curt flood made agency other pro series#
Whether you love it or hate it, professional sports was changed forever by the heroism and sacrifice of Curt Flood.Įvery player in the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB owes their good fortune to him. They grumble and grumble every year as free agents sign record-setting deals.Įvery year, millions of fans wait feverishly for the latest rumors, hoping that the newest high-profile free agent will sign with their favorite team.
Curt flood made agency other pro pro#
Many people today argue that pro athletes are overpaid. Soon enough the NBA and NFL were opened up to free agency as well (Also the NHL, but I’m sure no one cares).*** A few years after the Supreme Court ruling, Major League Baseball agreed to permit players with six years in the majors to test the open market for their services.**īy the late 1970s, baseball players were signing multi-million dollar contracts every year. The attention brought to this issue made it possible for players to become free agents. So why waste so much time on a lost cause? In a 5-3 vote, the Court ruled against him a third time.Ĭurt Flood never regained his lost income and was never able to resume his playing career.* Unemployed, Flood quickly ran out of money and turned to alcohol. In 1972, Flood appealed to the United States Supreme Court. No one besides Curt Flood was willing to risk his baseball career. While Flood had an excellent legal team, they could not find a single active player to testify for him. In 1970, his case began in United States District Court in Manhattan. Flood called himself “a well-paid slave.” He wanted his freedom from the reserve clause and to become a free agent. Soon enough, Flood decided to sue Major League Baseball. He earned over $90,000 in 1969, which was a high salary in those days. He didn’t want to play for Philadelphia, one of the worst franchises in baseball history, but the trade meant that he was essentially the property of the Phillies.įlood was a star player in the 1960s and he was one of the better paid stars of the time. Under the reserve clause, Flood had few options. The same was also true for players in the NBA and NFL. Players had almost no control over how much they were paid or what team they played for. In those days, Major League Baseball was governed what was called the “reserve clause.” This allowed baseball teams to keep players they developed out of high school into major league talent for as long as the team wished. After the 1969 season, the Cards traded him to the Philadelphia Phillies. He also won 7 Gold Glove Awards for his outstanding defense.
Curt flood made agency other pro series#
He played in three World Series for the Cardinals and appeared in three All-Star Games.

You will not see Curt Flood in the playoffs or the World Series (He retired almost 50 years ago and died about 20 years ago), but his impact on all of the major sports is enormous.įlood played for the St. You may not be a baseball fan, but if you are a sports fan at all, one name you absolutely need to know is Curt Flood.
