A Well-Paid Slave

by Brad Snyder

  195 “This is”; “If I signed”: WP, 10/15/70, G1.

  195 A few moments: NYT, 10/17/70, 34; Flood, The Way It Is, 210.

  196 Instead, Flood agreed: Linn, “The Man Who Begs, Buys, and Borrows Trouble,” Sport, 5/71, 94.

  196 Flood sent a telegram: Flood, The Way It Is, 211.

  196 A Georgetown law graduate: Blount, “Birds of a Feather Flock to Bob,” SI, 11/2/70, 27-28; Linn, “The Man Who Begs, Buys, and Borrows Trouble,” Sport, 5/71, 91-92.

  196 He wanted: Blount, “Birds of a Feather Flock to Bob,” SI, 11/2/70, 28.

  197 “faces”: Underwood, “They’re Ho-Hummers No More,” SI, 3/15/71, 28; Linn, “The Man Who Begs, Buys and Borrows Trouble,” Sport, 5/71, 67.

  197 “I think Flood”: WP, 10/14/70, D1.

  197 Rumors surfaced: TSN, 6/20/70, 16; TSN, 8/1/70, 16; WP, 8/9/70, 45 (rumors continued after meeting); TSN, 8/15/70, 5 (no settlement talk reported); TSN, 8/22/70, 8 (Holtzman disbelieves settlement rumors).

  197 Short was: TSN, 8/1/70, 21.

  197 After the meeting: Linn, “The Man Who Begs, Buys and Borrows Trouble,” Sport, 5/71, 94.

  197 During the World Series: PI, 10/14/70, 33, 37; PDN, 10/14/70, 55.

  197 Later that week; “What the”; “I’m going”: PI, 10/18/70, sec. 3, 1, 14.

  198 On October 22: Phone Logs, 10/20/70, Goldberg Papers, Box I:135, Folder 4.

  198 Goldberg trailed badly: NYT, 10/26/70, 42.

  198 Miller had reluctantly: Marvin Miller interview.

  198 Breslin talked: NYTM, 11/1/70, 59.

  198 “It wasn’t supposed”: Marvin Miller interview.

  198 “In my mind’s eye”: Marvin Miller interview.

  198 Goldberg handed Short: “Proposals for Uniform Contract Between Curt Flood and the Washington Senators,” Miller Papers, Box 3, Folder 9; Linn, “The Man Who Begs, Buys and Borrows Trouble,” Sport, 5/71, 94.

  199 Short agreed: Flood, The Way It Is, 211-12; Linn, “The Man Who Begs, Buys and Borrows Trouble,” Sport, 5/71, 94.

  199 the money: NYP, 10/29/70, 72.

  199 “Commissioner Kuhn”: Flood, The Way It Is, 212.

  199 The only thing: Ibid., 212-13.

  199 farce: PI, 11/1/70, sec. 3, 1, 15; WP, 11/4/70, B1; TSN, 11/21/70, 56, 54.

  199 Kuhn was determined: WP, 10/29/70, H1; NYT, 10/30/70, 49.

  199 “Then there’s”: Linn, “The Man Who Begs, Buys and Borrows Trouble,” Sport, 5/71, 94.

  199 He advised: PDN, 11/6/70, 64.

  199-200 “In effect”: Marvin Miller interview.

  200 “If you think”: Linn, “The Man Who Begs, Buys and Borrows Trouble,” Sport, 5/71, 94.

  200 If Flood had: NYT, 12/19/70, 36.

  200 “Do you think”: Linn, “The Man Who Begs, Buys and Borrows Trouble,” Sport, 5/71, 94.

  200 “Well, I understand”: Miller, A Whole Different Ball Game, 201; Marvin Miller interview.

  200 “And if anybody”: SPD, 12/16/70, 3G; WP, 12/17/70, E1; CST, 1/4/71, 82.

  200 Finally, at Goldberg’s: HP, 3/15/70, 2/D; NYT, 12/19/70, 36.

  200 He even met: Marvin Miller interview.

  200 “You’re going”: PI, 11/1/70, sec. 3, 1, 15.

  201 Instead, they selected: Whitfield, Kiss It Goodbye, 157-59.

  201 “You’re not going”; “Of course”; “I wouldn’t”: Marvin Miller interview.

  201 “I’ll do it”: Linn, “The Man Who Begs, Buys and Borrows Trouble,” Sport, 5/71, 94, 96.

  201 Some of Flood’s: TSN, 12/26/70, 36.

  201 At their winter meeting: Ibid., 40, 42.

  201 “The Players Association”: Ibid., 40.

  202 “a list of all”: White, “Baseball’s Roaming Son Back at ‘Kid’s Game’ and Liking It,” WES Sportsweek, 11/22/70, S-14.

  202 “Baseball”: WP, 11/8/70, 46.

  202 “by chasing”: WP, 11/19/72, E2.

  202 Flood pointed to Muhammad Ali: NYP, 10/29/70, 72.

  202 He told: White, “Baseball’s Roaming Son Back at ‘Kid’s Game’ and Liking It,” WES Sportsweek, 11/22/70, S-14.

  202 “I feel like”: Ibid., S-6.

  202 After changing: WP, 11/18/70, C1; White, “Baseball’s Roaming Son Back at ‘Kid’s Game’ and Liking It,” WES Sportsweek, 11/22/70, S-7; WDN, 11/18/70, 71.

  202 “There was”: William Gildea interview.

  203 “God”: White, “Baseball’s Roaming Son Back at ‘Kid’s Game’ and Liking It,” WES Sportsweek, 11/22/70, S-7.

  203 “stiff”: WP, 11/25/70, D1.

  203 They made it: SPT, 11/18/70, 1-C, 3-C.

  203 He spoke with Gildea: William Gildea interview; WP, 11/18/70, C1; WP, 11/19/70, E2.

  203 He opened up: Russ White interview.

  203 “Are you writing”: WDN, 11/18/70, 71.

  203 He stayed; He also read: White, “Baseball’s Roaming Son Back at ‘Kid’s Game’ and Liking It,” WES Sportsweek, 11/22/70, S-7.

  203 “a rather”; “I’m concerned”: WP, 11/18/70, C1.

  203 Flood had visited: White, “Baseball’s Roaming Son Back at ‘Kid’s Game’ and Liking It,” WES Sportsweek, 11/22/70, S-14.

  203 Before the Reds: CE, 4/12/57, 26; CE, 4/13/57, 11; NYT, 4/13/57, 14. Flood mistakenly remembered being with the Cardinals in 1958, but, before the 1958 regular season, the Cardinals traveled through Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and Nebraska. SPD, 3/31/58, 4C. The 1957 Reds played their next game in Baltimore, just as Flood remembered. Compare CE, 4/13/57, 11, with White, “Baseball’s Roaming Son Back at ‘Kid’s Game’ and Liking It,” WES Sportsweek, 11/22/70, S-14.

  203 Williams claimed: TSN, 12/12/70, 57.

  204 “Short’s a star”: Shelby Whitfield interview.

  204 “I just want”; “A trade”: WP, 11/25/70, D1.

  204 “I can’t think”: WDN, 11/25/70, 55.

  204 “How good”; “I don’t know”: TSN, 12/12/70, 57.

  204 A few days earlier: SPT, 11/18/70, 3-C.

  204 He lived for much: Judy Pace Flood interview.

  204 “Right now”: SPT, 11/18/70, 3-C.

  204 “Of course America”: WP, 11/25/70, D1; TSN, 12/12/70, 16.

  204 He appeared January 18: WP, 1/19/71, C1; WP, 1/17/71, 39.

  204 Ted Williams skipped: WP, 1/24/71, 50; NYT, 1/24/71, 56; WP, 2/3/71, D1; TSN, 2/6/71, 44.

  205 “chief masquerade”: NYT, 2/1/71, 40.

  205 Maury Allen: NYP, 2/1/71, 49.

  205 Allen, as Flood: NYT, 2/1/71, 40.

  205 “We know”: NYP, 2/1/71, 49.

  206 dismissed before trial: Salerno v. American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, 310 F. Supp. 729 (S.D.N.Y. 1969).

  206 Before the appeals court’s: Holtzman, “Attendance and Litigation Were Up in 1970,” 286-87.

  206 We freely acknowledge: Salerno v. American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, 429 F.2d 1003, 1005 (2d Cir. 1970) (citations omitted).

  207 On January 11: Salerno v. Kuhn, 400 U.S. 1001 (Jan. 11, 1971).

  207 “may not have”: Flood Second Circuit Brief, 2.

  207 “If Curt Flood”: Ibid., 14.

  207 Salerno did not address: Ibid., 16.

  207 Flood’s brief: Ibid., 13.

  207 They used a large chunk: Owners Second Circuit Brief, 16-27.

  207 The owners’ lawyers figured: Douglas Robinson interview.

  207 They rebutted: Owners Second Circuit Brief, 28-29.

  208 They also informed: Ibid., 4-5.

  208 “run from one”: Flood Second Circuit Reply Brief, 5.

  208 In Federal Baseball: Ibid., 5-8.

  208 did not receive: NYT, 1/28/71, 28; WP, 1/28/71, F1; nothing in the New York Law Journal or New York Post; a single paragraph in the Daily News, NYDN, 1/28/71, 100.

  208 On the day of the argument: Lou Hoynes interview.

  208 fifth and final: NYLJ, 1/27/71, 71.

  209 Even so, Hoynes slipped: Lou Hoynes interview.

  209 After 90 minutes, the three judges: NYLJ, 1/28/71, 16
.

  209 “The book”: LAT, 2/23/71, pt. 3, 1.

  209 “as randy as”: Flood, The Way It Is, 100.

  209 Flood told tales: Ibid., 104-6.

  209 “swapped booze”: Ibid., 88.

  209 “In case any”: Ibid., 101-2.

  209 “As a star, a black man”: CST, 2/8/71, 90.

  210 Bowie Kuhn: WP, 2/7/71, 93.

  210 Kuhn got his revenge: WP, 3/12/71, D1.

  210 “tripe”; “Mr. Busch pets”; “Philadelphia offered”: BN, 2/3/71, 15.

  210-11 “emerges as a cynic”; “He’s the”; “I want”; “Curt is”: SPD, 3/4/71, 2C; TSN, 3/27/71, 26.

  211 Flood described: Flood, The Way It Is, 76-77.

  211 “was a long”: SGD, 2/24/71, 3B; TSN, 3/13/71, 37.

  211 Flood said Musial: Flood, The Way It Is, 64.

  211 simpleminded company man; “wunnerful”: Ibid., 52-53.

  211 Musial was deeply hurt: SGD, 2/24/71, 3B; TSN, 3/13/71, 37.

  211 “a great American”; “it would appear”; “The one common”: SGD, 2/24/71, 3B; TSN, 3/13/71, 37.

  211 “Curt’s public disclosure”: Whitfield, Kiss It Goodbye, 159.

  211 “ill-advised”; “Baseball has”: WP, 1/23/70, B2.

  212 “Tell you this”; “Like Curt”; “No, he’s entitled”: NYT, 4/22/71, 49.

  212 Even one of Flood’s biggest boosters: Whitfield, Kiss It Goodbye, 159.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Page

  213 He had vowed: WES, 11/24/70, A-22.

  213 He quietly passed: WES, 3/14/71, E-2.

  213 He did not hold: TSN, 4/10/71, 33, 44.

  213 “Free Angela Davis”: Elliott Maddox interview.

  213 “Fuck you”: WP, 6/30/74, D3.

  214 Flood walked; “I like”; Maddox idolized; One baseball subject: Elliott Maddox interview.

  214 “I have one”: WP, 2/23/71, D1.

  214 He later claimed: TSN, 4/10/71, 33.

  214 Back in the room: Elliott Maddox interview.

  214 “He’s out there”; “Curt came back”: NYP, 3/8/71, 46.

  214 Maddox knew: Elliott Maddox interview.

  215 “Ted is a nonconformist”: White, “Baseball’s Roaming Son Back at ‘Kid’s Game’ and Liking It,” WES Sportsweek, 11/22/70, S-14.

  215 Williams recalled: WP, 12/29/70, F1.

  215 Flood recalled: White, “Baseball’s Roaming Son Back at ‘Kid’s Game’ and Liking It,” WES Sportsweek, 11/22/70, S-14.

  215 “I’m glad you’re”: SI, 3/15/71, 33.

  215 Williams indoctrinated; “I thought so”: TSN, 3/13/71, 41.

  216 “the Underminers Club”: Denny McLain interview; Whitfield, Kiss It Good-bye , 102.

  216 “because they were not”: NYT, 7/26/66, 28; TSN, 8/6/66, 5.

  216 Mexican mother and his childhood: Montville, Ted Williams, 19-23, 35-37, 39.

  216 During the 1971 season: Elliott Maddox interview.

  216 “As good a player”: NYT, 2/23/71, 44.

  216 Privately, Williams: Shelby Whitfield interview.

  216 “Sure, I lived”: OT, 4/5/71, 37.

  216 “Flood has to have”: SPD, 3/24/71, 18A.

  216 Team trainer: Bill Zeigler interview.

  217 “aged ten years”: CT, 5/1/71, F4.

  217 During his first time: WP, 2/23/71, D1; WDN, 2/23/71, 36; WES, 2/23/71, A-11.

  217 He failed: WP, 3/4/71, 97; WDN, 3/4/71, 60.

  217 “They don’t know”: WDN, 2/23/71, 46.

  217 He finally got: WP, 3/9/71, D4; WES, 3/12/71, A-14.

  217 “The toughest thing”: NYT, 3/28/71, sec. 5, 3.

  217 His throw: WP, 3/17/71, C1; WP, 3/16/71, D1; WES, 3/16/71, A-12.

  217 Williams later criticized: WP, 3/26/71, D1; TSN, 4/10/71, 33.

  217 Flood even took: NYT, 3/28/71, sec. 5, 3.

  218 After the first few days; Maddox was constantly; During the nights when; “I’ve got”; “No”: Elliott Maddox interview.

  218 “He is in baseball”: LAT, 3/26/71, pt. 3, 1, 12.

  218 “One gained”: WDN, 4/29/70, 70.

  218 “tarnished goods”: BAA, 2/20/71, 17.

  218 “stormy petrel”: White, “Baseball’s Roaming Son Back at ‘Kid’s Game’ and Liking It,” WES Sportsweek, 11/22/70, S-14.

  219 “What’s it gotta”; “Don’t you know”: Mann, “Ted Williams and Bob Short,” Look, 5/4/71, 72.

  219 Flood met Mann; “[I] better”: Ibid., 72, 74.

  219 he turned down: WES, 3/9/71, A-12.

  219 “As long as”: Mann, “Ted Williams and Bob Short,” Look, 5/4/71, 72.

  219 “They all”: Bernie Allen interview.

  219 “Look!”: LAT, 3/26/71, pt. 3, 1, 12.

  219 Flood read books: Paul Casanova interview.

  220 “I was expecting”: Dick Billings interview.

  220 “He was a speed”: Del Unser interview.

  220 “You hear about”: Dick Bosman interview.

  220 The day before the season: Orlando Cepeda interview.

  220 “Hell, in those days”; A month before spring training: Frank Howard interview.

  220 “He didn’t spend”; Williams disapproved: Shelby Whitfield interview.

  221 Williams also once spied: Bill Zeigler interview.

  221 Flood’s hitting: WP, 3/20/71, D1; WP, 3/22/71, D1; WP, 3/31/71, D1; WP, 4/1/71, K1.

  221 He batted only: WP, 4/5/71, D5.

  221 “I have a feeling”: WDN, 4/5/71, B-5.

  221 “He’s the guy”: WP, 4/6/71, D4.

  221 “I’m just the same”; “was not out”: BAA, 4/10/71, 16.

  221 the three-judge panel had affirmed: Flood v. Kuhn, 443 F.2d 264 (2d Cir. 1971).

  222 “We readily acknowledge”; “so uniquely”; “[W]e do not consider”: Ibid., 268.

  222 Moore had won: NYT, 2/18/57, 16; Gunther, Learned Hand, 648-49.

  222 “impotent”; “it is of no moment”: Gardella v. Chandler, 172 F.2d 402, 409-10 (2d Cir. 1949) (Frank, J., concurring).

  222 “In my opinion”: Flood v. Kuhn, 443 F.2d 272 (Moore, J., concurring).

  222 “Baseball for almost”: Ibid., 268.

  223 The Supreme Court in 1922: Ibid., 272.

  223 “reservations”; “would limit”: Ibid., 273.

  223 “We knew nothing”: WP, 4/8/71, C1.

  223 “The Supreme Court”: OT, 4/8/71, 38.

  223 “not even bothering”: WP, 4/15/71, D1; CPD, 4/16/71, 2-C.

  223 lost the snap: WES, 4/12/71, A-23; CPD, 4/16/71, 2-C.

  224 In the second inning: WP, 4/12/71, D1, D5; NYT, 4/12/71, 50; WES, 4/12/71, A-23; Dick Bosman interview.

  224 Williams did not yell: WES, 4/12/71, A-23.

  224 “You can’t handle”: Tom McCraw interview.

  224 Williams again said: WP, 4/12/71, D1, D4.

  224 “Syphilitic”: Shelby Whitfield interview.

  224 “I told him”: BHT, 4/14/71, 43.

  224 but he refused: BG, 4/13/71, 26.

  224 “I’m not sure”: Shelby Whitfield interview.

  225 “Ted fucked”; “Ted’s main goal”; “sideways livid”; “All Bob Short”; “Do you have”; “There was”: Denny McLain interview.

  225 “That was the knife”; On the team’s first extended road trip: Elliott Maddox interview.

  225 One night in Cleveland; “He felt like”: Richie Scheinblum interview.

  225 Flood finally returned: WP, 4/18/71, 41.

  226 “I’m going”: Elliott Maddox interview.

  226 Upon arriving in New York; “Let’s talk”: Marvin Miller interview.

  226 “He said”: NYDN, 4/29/71, 113. 226 Hate mail; “freaky letters”; “Dear Nigger”: Whitford, “Curt Flood,” Sport, 12/86, 106; Flood, The Way It Is, 18; Curran, “Curt Flood and the Baseball Revolution,” L.A. Weekly, 4/1-7/94, 25; “Curt Flood,” ESPN SportsCentury (Pace).

  226 “Whoever it was”: Whitford, “Curt Flood,” Sport, 12/86, 106.

  226 McLain blamed: Denny McLain interv
iew.

  227 “My case bears”: WP, 5/2/71, 42.

  227 “It’s hard to focus”; “I don’t remember”: Tom McCraw interview.

  227 Before a home game; “Frank”; Howard told: Frank Howard interview.

  227 The 6,597 fans: WP, 4/25/71, C1.

  227-28 “You know”; “I try not”; “I don’t know”: MJ, 4/25/71, sports sec., 3, 6.

  228 He exploded: William Gildea interview.

  228-29 Soon after he said; “They were trying”; “My problem is”: ; “How do”; “We had the”: Mike Epstein interview.

  229 “Things are”; “Life is like”: WES, 4/28/71, C-1.

  229 Baxter thought: WP, 4/28/71, D1; ibid.

  229 dark sunglasses: WP, 4/28/71, D1.

  229 Williams noticed: Ibid.; BES, 4/28/71, C10; WDN, 4/28/71, 72; WES, 4/28/71, C-1.

  229 “Not too”; “yes”; “That’s up to Ted”: MS, 4/28/71, 4D.

  229 “Take care”; “Yeah”: Mike Epstein interview.

  229 Flood intimated: Denny Riddleberger interview.

  229 Flood kept: Ibid.; SI, 3/15/71, 26.

  229 To Riddleberger; “Take care”: Denny Riddleberger interview.

  230 Flood ate dinner; “some things”: WP, 4/28/71, D1; WP, 10/1/71, D1.

  230 “He said everything”; “Cassie”: Paul Casanova interview. 230 Cox and Flood had agreed: Casey Cox interview. Cox now claims that it was lunch the next day, not dinner. Ibid.; McKenna, “The Forgotten Flood of 1971,” Washington City Paper, 4/30/04. His quotes at the time are to the contrary. WP, 4/28/71, D1; BES, 4/28/71, C10; WP, 10/1/71, D1.

  230 Tim Cullen; “Tim”; “Thanks”: Tim Cullen interview.

  230 “Where’s Curt”; “I don’t know”: Casey Cox interview.

  230 Short called; “You’ve got”: Denny McLain interview.

  230 McLain did not: BES, 4/28/71, C10.

  230 Maddox was worried: Elliott Maddox interview.

  231 A New York Daily News; “I’ll throw you”: NYDN, 4/28/71, 100.

  231 Short hastily called: WP, 4/28/71, D1.

  231 At 4:55 p.m.; I TRIED: Telegram, Flood to Short, 4/27/71 (on file with author).

  231 Short posted: Joe Camacho interview.