A Well-Paid Slave Read Online Free Page B

Phillies uniform in 1970. Two of Flood’s former teammates, McCarver, who had signed with the Phillies, and Bill White, who had retired and worked as a Philadelphia sportscaster, believed that Flood would sign. So did Dick Allen, who said “the money” was the overriding factor.
    Flood liked Quinn based on their initial meeting but publicly insisted that his plan to retire had not changed. He told reporters to talk to him again in March. His thinking, however, had changed—he was contemplating the idea of suing Major League Baseball over the reserve clause.
    Soon after he had returned from Copenhagen and before meeting with Quinn, Flood visited Allan H. Zerman. A 32-year-old St. Louis attorney, Zerman had helped Flood acquire his first photography studio and incorporate the business as Curt Flood & Associates, Inc. Zerman also had represented Carl after the jewelry store robbery, negotiating a plea bargain with the state of Missouri and appearing in federal court about the parole violation. Zerman liked Flood’s sense of humor and, as his lawyer, had earned Flood’s confidence and trust. Flood had been impressed that Zerman was the only person to turn down Flood’s free tickets to the 1964 World Series.
    Zerman had never seen Flood as upset as he was that afternoon in Zerman’s law office. Zerman listened as Flood vented about how the trade had turned his life in St. Louis upside down. It was clear to Zerman that Flood was not going to Philadelphia. Retirement seemed a certainty.
    â€œThere is one other alternative,” Zerman said.
    Flood was startled when Zerman brought up the idea of a lawsuit. Zerman had not read the two Supreme Court cases granting Major League Baseball a legal monopoly, but he knew that they were old and most likely outdated. He correctly believed that to challenge the reserve clause, Flood would first have to challenge baseball’s exemption from the antitrust laws. Zerman’s gut told him that the reserve clause was an injustice that a more liberal, modern Supreme Court would not tolerate. The more Zerman looked into it, the more he believed that Flood might have a viable legal claim.
    Two of the people Flood trusted most, Zerman and Marian Jorgensen, suggested that he sue. Flood knew his next move. He called Marvin Miller.

CHAPTER TWO
    M arvin Miller was not expecting Curt Flood’s phone call. The ex- ecutive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, Miller was aware of the trade, Flood’s announcement of his plan to retire, and even his vacation to Denmark. But Miller thought that Flood would either retire or report to the Phillies, and that would be the end of it. Instead, Flood called Miller about a lawsuit.
    Miller did not know Flood well. Flood had supported the association’s directive to the players to refuse to sign contracts during a pension dispute before the 1969 season. He had occasionally stopped by the association’s New York offices when the Cardinals were playing the Mets. During Miller’s annual spring training visits with Cardinals teams of the mid- to late 1960s, Flood had not stood out among the team’s strong and intelligent personalities. Miller associated Flood with the center fielder’s misplay of Northrup’s line drive in Game 7 of the 1968 World Series.
    Despite their lack of familiarity, Miller could tell from Flood’s tone of voice that he meant business. Flood said there was no way he was going to report to Philadelphia, not after 12 seasons in St. Louis and not with his business interests there. Flood explained that he and his St. Louis attorney had discussed a legal challenge to the reserve clause. In response, Miller launched into a brief discussion of the two Supreme Court decisions in Flood’s way. Miller mentioned that there was a slight chance that the Court might reverse those decisions, but he “wouldn’t bet any money on it.” Flood asked Miller if they