Curt Flood Biography

Occup.Athlete
FromUSA
BornJanuary 18, 1938
DiedJanuary 20, 1997
Aged59 years
Curt Flood was birthed Curtis Charles Flood on January 18, 1938, in Houston, Texas, USA. His family members transferred to Oakland, California, when he was a little one, as well as he spent most of his formative years there. As an African American athlete maturing in the 1940s and 1950s, Flood came across numerous racial injustices that fueled his desire to make a substantial effect on the world, both as a private and as an athlete.

Flood started playing sporting activities at a young age, concentrating largely on baseball. He attended Oakland Technical High School, where he became an exceptional athlete. In 1956, he authorized an expert baseball agreement with the Cincinnati Reds right out of high school. Nevertheless, his surge to success would not come very easy. He was traded to the minors and moved numerous times prior to lastly making it back to the Major Leagues with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1958.

Curt Flood quickly cemented his track record as one of the leading center fielders in the organization, gathering various distinctions. In between 1960 and 1971, he won 7 Gold Glove awards, made the All-Star group 3 times, and also was a vital factor to 2 World Series championships in 1964 as well as 1967.

Despite his success on the field, Flood would certainly become most identified for the role he played in challenging the book stipulation in baseball's labor system. The reserve condition stipulated that a player can pass by which team they would play for; rather, they were bound to their initial franchise business unless traded or launched by the owner. To numerous, this resembled the oppressive circumstances of the past in which a person was denied the right to manage their work as well as destiny.

In 1969, Flood was traded from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Philadelphia Phillies against his desires. Flood refused to report to the Phillies and also chose to challenge the get stipulation, filing a suit against Major League Baseball. The instance, called Flood v. Kuhn, reached the United States Supreme Court in 1972, yet the court ruled against Flood, upholding the book provision.

Though he shed the court battle, Flood's activities developed a causal sequence that would at some point transform specialist sporting activities. Years later, in 1975, the book clause was efficiently eliminated, leading to cost-free firm and also players having the flexibility to bargain with any group they wanted upon the expiration of their agreements.

As an outcome of his position against the reserve stipulation, Flood sacrificed both his occupation and rewarding revenue. He retired after the 1971 period with a career batting standard of.293, over 1,800 hits, and many defensive accolades. After retiring from baseball, Flood repainted and also became an announcer for the Oakland Athletics.

Sadly, Curt Flood died on January 20, 1997, in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 59 from throat cancer cells. His bold battle against the repressive reserve provision system sealed his heritage as a pioneer in sporting activities background, with his influence really felt to this day by athletes of all backgrounds.

Our collection contains 19 quotes who is written / told by Curt.

Related authors: Lawrence Taylor (Athlete)

19 Famous quotes by Curt Flood

Small: Whatever I contributed to the unique morale of the Cardinals was part of this growth, and so, of course
"Whatever I contributed to the unique morale of the Cardinals was part of this growth, and so, of course, was my decision to have it out in public with the owners of organized baseball"
Small: People try to make a Greek tragedy of my life, and they cant do it. Im too happy
"People try to make a Greek tragedy of my life, and they can't do it. I'm too happy"
Small: Im a child of the sixties, Im a man of the sixties. During that period of time this country was coming
"I'm a child of the sixties, I'm a man of the sixties. During that period of time this country was coming apart at the seams. We were in Southeast Asia. Good men were dying for America and for the Constitution"
Small: Id often wondered what would I do if I were ever traded, because it happened many, many times
"I'd often wondered what would I do if I were ever traded, because it happened many, many times"
Small: But I want you to know that what Im doing here Im doing as a ballplayer, a major league ballplayer
"But I want you to know that what I'm doing here I'm doing as a ballplayer, a major league ballplayer"
Small: Baseball regards us as sheep
"Baseball regards us as sheep"
Small: I was leaving probably one of the greatest organizations in hte world at that time for what was probabl
"I was leaving probably one of the greatest organizations in hte world at that time for what was probably one of the least like, and, by God, this is America"
Small: Customary though it may be to write about that institutionalized pastime as though it existed apart fro
"Customary though it may be to write about that institutionalized pastime as though it existed apart from the general environment, my story does not lend itself to such treatment"
Small: The baseball establishment is permissive about revelry
"The baseball establishment is permissive about revelry"
Small: It was so difficult for the fans to understand my problems with baseball
"It was so difficult for the fans to understand my problems with baseball"
Small: If you destroyed the underpinnings of this great American sport, you are a hated, ugly, detestable pers
"If you destroyed the underpinnings of this great American sport, you are a hated, ugly, detestable person"
Small: Im a human being Im not a piece of property. I am not a consignment of goods
"I'm a human being I'm not a piece of property. I am not a consignment of goods"
Small: I was told by the general manager that a white player had received a higher raise than me. Because whit
"I was told by the general manager that a white player had received a higher raise than me. Because white people required more money to live than black people. That is why I wasn't going to get a raise"
Small: Baseball was socially relevant, and so was my rebellion against it
"Baseball was socially relevant, and so was my rebellion against it"
Small: And Id be lying if I told you that as a black man in baseball I hadnt gone through worse times than my
"And I'd be lying if I told you that as a black man in baseball I hadn't gone through worse times than my teammates"
Small: All the grand work was laid for people who came after me. The Supreme Court decided not to give it to m
"All the grand work was laid for people who came after me. The Supreme Court decided not to give it to me, so they gave it to two white guys. I think that's what they were waiting for"
Small: Remember when I told you about the American dream? That if you worked hard enough and tried hard enough
"Remember when I told you about the American dream? That if you worked hard enough and tried hard enough and kicked yourself in the butt, you'd succeed? Well, I think I did, I think I did"
Small: Ill also say, yes, I think the change in black consciuosness in recent years has made me more sensitive
"I'll also say, yes, I think the change in black consciuosness in recent years has made me more sensitive to injustice in every area of my life"
Small: I lost money, coaching jobs, a shot at the Hall of Fame
"I lost money, coaching jobs, a shot at the Hall of Fame"