Curt Flood a Hero to Today's Players ... Those Who Know His Name, That Is

Curt Flood may not have reaped the benefits of his stand against Major League Baseball, but every player who followed certainly has every time they've negotiated a new contract.

Even though Flood was ultimately unsuccessful in striking down baseball's reserve clause, he opened the door for the challenges that soon followed and for free agency as we know it today.

You would think that Flood would be worshipped as a hero by today's players. That's true ... in some cases.

But many polled by FanHouse said they had never heard of Flood. Some, veterans and rookies alike, when told who he was, ashamedly asked us not to include their names.

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Michael Young, Rangers 3B: "I think, especially veteran players who have gone through the business side of the game a few times, obviously, we owe a debt of gratitude to the players that came before us and Curt Flood's name is at the top of that list. That's one thing that's unique about our sport. Players are always thinking about the next generation, trying to do right by players both in the future and the ones who have already played."

Omar Vizquel, Rangers SS: Vizquel didn't know who Flood was, but when told, said, "I'm happy it happened, though. I'm pretty happy he gave the freedom to every player to go wherever he wants, and the let the teams and the owners bid for what you are worth. So we all should be thanking Curt Flood. Now that name is going to stay in my mind."

Nomar Garciaparra, Athletics IF: "It's definitely impacted the game and been important. People can look at it like they knock free agency, but at the same time, we're very fortunate to play this game and what we are given. We are blessed. I always say I've been lucky to play this game and make a very good living for my family and myself, and it's not anything I've done. I've done nothing to deserve this. It's a lot of the people before me who sacrificed and went through the trials and tribulations that created this for me. He's definitely a big one for that. The only way we can thank those guys is to make the people after us have it as good or better than we have it. He's definitely a pioneer and one to always be appreciated by us."

Derrek Lee: "Didn't he have something to do with arbitration?"

Brad Ziegler, Athletics RP (and the team's union rep): "Obviously he was the first to test the free-agent market, so that was a good step for the players moving forward. That's the climate of today's game: who can make the most money? There is not a whole sense of loyalty in today's game. It's just about guys taking care of themselves in the present and the future."

FanHouse: You make that sound like a bad thing.

Ziegler: "It can be. It gives people the impression that money is more important than happiness or money can buy happiness. If a guy is happy where he's at, why not take a little less money to stay where you are comfortable? If it's a drastic difference, that's one thing, but it's frustrating sometimes to see guys turn down a five-year, $100-million contract for a few more million somewhere else. Can you not live on that the rest of your life?"

Torii Hunter, Angels OF: "We've talked about it for years. I always talked to all the veteran guys like Kirby [Puckett], Otis Nixon -- these guys were always telling me about Curt Flood. They'd say, 'Hey, free agency -- thank God for Curt Flood.' "

Randy Winn, Giants OF (and player rep): "What he went through, what he decided to stand up for, the decision he made played a major role in the game of baseball. You see his influence every year. Every trade deadline, there are a lot of baseball moves that are made based upon free agency."

Max Scherzer, Diamondbacks SP: "He fought for all the players' rights. He laid the foundation for the union, the players association. He was the first one to start asking for the players to be compensated fairly. You see the multi-million dollar contracts. That doesn't happen without Curt Flood."

FH: What about other players' ignorance?

Scherzer: "That's the shame about it. I don't know everything about his career, but I do know he was one of the first players in that generation to fight for the whole league. His impact is still felt throughout the game today."

Eric Byrnes, Diamondbacks OF: "As a player who has been able to benefit from former players uniting and taking a stand, I'm very appreciative of every player that's ever put on a major league baseball uniform. There is a reason why we have one of the strongest unions in the world, if not the strongest.

"Curt's situation was interesting because he was an individual taking a stand. It's difficult to take a stand even when you are united, but to think that one guy took a stand on his own kind of makes it that much more monumental."

FH: Are you surprised other players don't know about him?

Byrnes: "They should know. It's actually embarrassing if they don't know."

Darren Oliver, Angels RP, who passed out copies of Marvin Miller's (was executive director of the Major League Baseball Player's Association when the Flood imbroglio occurred) book to the September call-ups and made them do an oral report during the last homestand: "I had them read the book. I figured since I'm the only one that (took part in the 1994) strike in this room, I have every right to tell them, 'Y'all need to read this so you can think where you're at.'

"You don't necessarily have to read the book. But just know. Have some kind of understanding of it."

Curtis Granderson, Tigers OF: Granderson had never heard of Curt Flood until the 2006 World Series, when he slipped and fell fielding a fly ball -- which prompted comparisons to Flood, who misplayed a ball in the 1968 Series (also Tigers vs. Cardinals): "[Until] 2006 I had never heard the name before. Pretty much the slip stuff and then the free agent. But outside of that, that's really all I know. I heard he was the first guy, right? That's the part I know."

FanHouse's Ed Price contributed to this story.