'Baseball's Bolshevik': Why The Martyrdom Of Curt Flood Still Matters

You’re probably familiar with the story of Curt Flood, the ballplayer whose refusal in 1969 to accept a trade was the first major skirmish in the fight for free agency. You’re certainly familiar with his legacy, which today alone hangs over the news of the NBA’s media megadeal. Retro Report, via The New York Times, takes a look back at Flood’s ordeal in the video below. It’s a great primer, and a very good reminder never to believe the dark forebodings of the rich people who own sports franchises. “There’s no question about it,” A’s owner Charles O. Finley intones at one point. “It’s the worst thing that has ever happened to baseball.”

Can check it out here.