Against the Rules: The Big Short Companion Introducing Business History: The Man Who Sued Major League Baseball
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Dec 19, 2025 Discover the gripping saga of Curt Flood, the baseball star who defied Major League Baseball's draconian trading rules. He challenged the reserve clause, arguing for players' rights to negotiate freely, igniting a legal battle that changed sports history. As Flood faced backlash and complicated courtroom dynamics, legendary Jackie Robinson lent his voice to the cause. Learn how this pivotal fight ultimately led to the birth of free agency and a paradigm shift in players' earnings. Flood's legacy continues to resonate in the sports world today.
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Baseball Seen As Business, Not Charity
- Curt Flood framed the reserve clause as unjust bondage tying players to owners for life.
- His challenge reframed professional sports from pastime to big business with labor rights implications.
Woken At Dawn With A Trade
- Flood got a 4 a.m. phone call telling him he was traded to the Phillies after 12 years in St. Louis.
- Under the reserve clause he had to accept the trade or quit baseball.
Legal Exception: Baseball's Commerce Claim
- Early Supreme Court rulings treated baseball as local ticket sales, excluding it from interstate commerce.
- That legal framing insulated baseball from federal antitrust scrutiny for decades.