Brad Snyder talks about Curt Flood & the fight for Free Agency

Brad Snyder, Professor of Law at Georgetown and Author of "A Well-Paid Slave" visits BaseballBiz and shares his story about Curt Flood and his legal battles to fight for player's rights for some control over their careers.

• Career of Curt Flood began with Reds in 1956
• First trade to St. Louis Cardinals 
• 7x Golden Glove player
• 6x MVP
• Curt Flood cerebral man, civil rights activist
• Oakland – diverse early days of his baseball journey
• Racism in Reds minor leagues 
• 1961 integrated spring training in St Petersburg
• Curt works with Jackie Robinson, Medgar Evans for Civil Rights in Mississippi
• Shotgun Threats against Curt and his family 
• Cincinnati All Black outfield would not stand and Curt was traded to Cardinals
• Philadelphia trade – black players faced a lot of racism
• Curt wanted to control his own path after playing 12 years 
• How would Social Media have allowed Curt to control the narrative look to LeBron James and how he has controlled his message through Social Media?
• Curt challenged the trade with the December 24 letter to Bowie Kuhn
• Cosell interview 
• Backing of MLBPA Players Representatives including Roberto Clemente & Reggie Jackson
• Marvin Miller would have selected different counsel for Curt
• The Reserve Clause – a reserve system of perpetual ownership of the sport. An illegal monopoly.
• Anti-Trust Exemption – 1922, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes gave baseball a pass
• 13th Amendment was part of the question
• 100 years later the decision stands “Stare Decisis” rely on past decisions even if they are wrong.
• Supreme Court wants to kick baseball problem back to Congress
• NCAA recent challenge in Supreme Court – One Justice sites Flood v Kuhn as ridiculous
• Justices’ Baseball Fandom gets in the way of justice for Flood
• Blackmun writes an ode to baseball in his Supreme Court opinion. 
• Judges want to show their fandom can get in the way of the law
• Curt Flood lost in Supreme Court
• Flood’s efforts opened doors for change and empowered players beginning with Grievance Arbitration
• Curt Flood 10 & 5 rule allows qualified players to veto any trade 
• Marvin Miller kept Curt Flood’s efforts top of mind reminding young players of how they enjoyed the fruits of his efforts
• Curt’s life rises later life with personal happiness with Judy Pace and recognition
• Ken Burns Baseball documentary with Curt Flood celebrated at the White House with President Clinton
• Gerrit Cole gave credit to Curt Flood as he signed his contract with the Yankees.
• Cole’s book report on Flood
• Curt led the way in fighting for a cause as seen with Pat Tillman, Colin Kaepernick,
• Jackie Robinson was the Guardian Angel for Curt Flood
• Today sports player like LeBron James have the empowerment to make 
• Floods exclusion in Hall of Fame
• Union needs to educate the players on their history
• Recognition with a Curt Flood Day
• Democratic Justice Book about the Supreme Court history and Justice Felix Frankfurter
• Don’t look to the Supreme Court to solve all of your problems

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