Curt Flood Challenged the St. Louis Cardinals Right to Trade Their "Property"

Curt Flood played for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1958-69. Originally the property of the Cincinnati Reds—and please pay attention to the word “property”—Flood was traded from the Reds to the Cardinals in December of 1957.

Flood was a great defensive center fielder, as well as a pretty good hitter. He batted .293/.342/.389 for his career, primarily as the Cardinals’ number two batter behind Lou Brock.

Flood won a Gold Glove every season from 1963-69. He hit .335 in 1967 and followed that with .301 the following season, which was known as the Year of the Pitcher. He was one of only five .300 hitters that year.

On Oct. 7, 1969, the Cardinals traded Flood to the Philadelphia Phillies. Flood subsequently challenged the Cardinals’ right to trade their “property.”

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.''

Robert Lipsyte wrote in the New York Times Magazine that, in 1969, Flood’s action of challenging the reserve clause was as dramatic as Rosa Parks refusing to move to the back of the bus.

Flood wanted the Major League Players Association to provide financial aid.

A white player asked him if his lawsuit was related to racial discrimination in baseball. Remember, it was only 22 years since Jackie Robinson had become the first black player in the majors.

Flood responded that he had a harder time than non-black players. He said, ''The change in black consciousness in recent years has made me more sensitive to injustice in every area of my life.''

He then emphasized that his suit would rectify a situation that affected all players.

Active players ignored the suit. Only Jackie Robinson and Hank Greenberg testified for Flood.

After the Supreme Court ruled against Flood, Marvin Miller, the executive director of the MLBPA, suspected that the Richard Nixon’s Supreme Court politics played a major role in the decision.

It’s sad and it’s wrong that so many of today’s players—those who make millions of dollars and change teams more often than a burlesque dancer changes costumes—are ignorant of Curt Flood’s contributions.