What started as one of the biggest blunders in World Series history ended with a groundbreaking turn of events that changed sports forever.
Scene: The 1968 World Series, Game 7
It took just a slip of the foot to make the man once regarded as a premier outfielder on the best team in baseball expendable. Flood became a target of disdain from the Busch family and the St. Louis fateful, and it didn’t take long for Flood and now famous (infamous?) broadcaster Tim McCarver to get shipped off to Philadelphia for Dick Allen and a couple other players. But Flood knew that he was a better player than his new teammates in Philadelphia; he was a 7-time Gold Glove winner. Rather than report and play out his contract, Flood did the unthinkable. He refused to play.
While Curt Flood was an elite player, his greatest legacy was challenging the moratorium known as baseball’s Reserve Clause. The Reserve Clause was, at the time, the only thing standing between a man and his freedom of choice of where he wanted to work. Flood fought for years for his personal right to choose his employer, to allow businesses (teams) to compete for his services. He was only chasing the American dream, and for his efforts he was essentially black-listed from the game.
It took years of struggle, but in the end, the Reserve Clause was lifted. The sad irony is it took two people – neither named Curt Flood – to officially bring it down. Regardless of final credit, it was Flood who ultimately beat the game of baseball and brought an archaic rule crumbling down. Through perseverance, understanding and resolve, Curt Flood changed sports as we know them.
So that backstory told, I proudly welcome you to The Reserve Clause. We, much like Curt Flood, are chasing our own personal freedom. In this case, that freedom is to write about anything we want, without worry of sticking to any particular topic or genre. Why does a sports site have to be all about sports? Why does a pop culture site have to stick to pop culture? The answer, they don’t.
We also believe in giving everyone a voice. Have something to say? Get a hold of one of our regular contributors and let them know. We’d love for you to join in and celebrate your freedom of speech.
That’s the beauty of this open-concept blog. It’s about everything, by everyone.
It took just a slip of the foot to make the man once regarded as a premier outfielder on the best team in baseball expendable. Flood became a target of disdain from the Busch family and the St. Louis fateful, and it didn’t take long for Flood and now famous (infamous?) broadcaster Tim McCarver to get shipped off to Philadelphia for Dick Allen and a couple other players. But Flood knew that he was a better player than his new teammates in Philadelphia; he was a 7-time Gold Glove winner. Rather than report and play out his contract, Flood did the unthinkable. He refused to play.
While Curt Flood was an elite player, his greatest legacy was challenging the moratorium known as baseball’s Reserve Clause. The Reserve Clause was, at the time, the only thing standing between a man and his freedom of choice of where he wanted to work. Flood fought for years for his personal right to choose his employer, to allow businesses (teams) to compete for his services. He was only chasing the American dream, and for his efforts he was essentially black-listed from the game.
It took years of struggle, but in the end, the Reserve Clause was lifted. The sad irony is it took two people – neither named Curt Flood – to officially bring it down. Regardless of final credit, it was Flood who ultimately beat the game of baseball and brought an archaic rule crumbling down. Through perseverance, understanding and resolve, Curt Flood changed sports as we know them.
So that backstory told, I proudly welcome you to The Reserve Clause. We, much like Curt Flood, are chasing our own personal freedom. In this case, that freedom is to write about anything we want, without worry of sticking to any particular topic or genre. Why does a sports site have to be all about sports? Why does a pop culture site have to stick to pop culture? The answer, they don’t.
We also believe in giving everyone a voice. Have something to say? Get a hold of one of our regular contributors and let them know. We’d love for you to join in and celebrate your freedom of speech.
That’s the beauty of this open-concept blog. It’s about everything, by everyone.
