A Well-Paid Slave (63 page)

60 “People felt relaxed”: Moody,
Coming of Age in Mississippi
, 262.

60 Medgar Evers: 2/9/62 telegram from Current to Robinson, NAACP Collection, B:III C273, F “Southeast Regional Office Correspondence 1962” (instructing Robinson to inform Evers of Robinson's itinerary); Aurela Norris Young interview, 4/29/83, 9, Southern Regional Council, “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” program files.

60 “do and perform”:
mdah.state.ms.us/arlib/contents/er/scagency/case-history.html
(quoting General Laws of the State of Mississippi, 1956, Chapter 365, 520-524).

60 “Patterson and the other”: 2/28/62 report by A. L. Hopkins, investigator, 1-2, Sovereignty Commission Online, SCR ID # 2-55-7-62-1-1-1,
www.mdah.state.ms.us/arlib/contents/er/sovcom
. .

61 By virtue: “Flood, Curtis 2-55-418,” at SCR ID # 98-6-3-33-1-1-1,
www.mdah.state.ms.us/arlib/contents/er/sovcom
.

61 Flood told:
CDEF
, 3/10-16/62, 2.

61 thank-you note: 3/23/62 letter from Roy Wilkins to Flood, NAACP Collection, B:III C173.

61 Frank Robinson and Willie Mays: The Reds paid Robinson's NAACP dues early in his career, but he refused to be active in the organization. A letter from Jackie Robinson encouraged him to speak out on civil rights issues. Jackie charged that Frank was more interested in becoming the first black manager (which he became with the Indians in October 1974) than in speaking out on issues.
BAA
, 5/12/70, 17. Frank later said he was “afraid.” Robinson,
Extra Innings
, ix. Jackie also described Mays as a “do-nothing Negro” when it came to the civil rights movement.
LAT
, 3/16/68, A1.

61 “went to”: Robinson,
Baseball Has Done It
, 142.

61 President Kennedy: Branch,
Parting the Waters
, 386, 647-53, 656-72.

61 On the day of King's:
SPD
, 8/29/63, 4D.

61 It tore Flood; “I should be there”: Maury Allen interview.

61 During the offseason:
BAA
, 11/3/64, 13.

62 “What are you”: Bill Patterson interview.

62 “best hitting”: Branch Rickey Papers, Box 51, Folder 2.

62 Cardinals broadcaster Harry Caray:
CT
, 5/1/71, F4.

62 In October 1963, Beverly filed:
OT
, 10/8/63, 36.

62 “inadequate and inferior”:
OT
, 2/28/64, 50.

62 On February 27, 1964:
OT
, 2/28/64, 50;
TSN
, 3/14/64, 28;
SGD
, 2/29-3/1/64, 3G.

62 She also received:
LAT
, 2/28/64, B6.

63 By the time Curt and Beverly:
SFC
, 10/27/64, 1, 10;
SFE
, 10/27/64, 1, 16.

63 “No niggers”:
SFC
, 10/27/64, 1.

63 The law did not concern:
OT
, 12/25/72, 40.

63 Immediately after receiving:
SFE
, 10/27/64, 1; Rickie Riley interview.

64 They reconvened:
SFE
, 10/27/64, 16; Flood,
The Way It Is
, 119.

64 Beverly was intent: Rickie Riley interview.

64 Marian turned: Flood,
The Way It Is
, 119.

64 On October 26, Condon filed:
OT
, 10/26/64, 11;
OT
, 10/27/64, 1;
RI
, 10/26/64, 1, 2; Flood,
The Way It Is
, 119-20.

64 Backed by:
LAT
, 10/28/64, 2;
SFC
, 10/28/64, 3.

65 “Yes, we thought”:
SFC
, 10/28/64, 3.

65 Flood was eventually forced:
OT
, 11/10/64, 40;
OT
, 11/2/64, 19;
NYT
, 11/10/64, 51.

65 “You don't do”:
BAA
, 11/3/64, 13.

65 The housing ordeal:
SFE
, 10/27/64, 1, 16;
SFC
, 10/27/64, 1;
SFC
, 10/28/61, 1;
RI
, 10/26/64, 1;
MMNG
, 10/27/64, 1;
MMNG
, 10/28/64, 1.

65 The
Washington Post
:
WP
, 11/2/64, A16.

65 Six women:
SFC
, 10/28/64, 3;
SFE
, 10/28/64, 3;
BAA
, 11/3/64, 13.

65 The men invited:
BAA
, 11/3/64, 13.

65 The Floods' children:
LAT
, 1/24/65, J2.

65 Debbie . . . was excluded: Flood,
The Way It Is
, 120.

65 Racists phoned; The police; Both; “I have no”:
LAT
, 1/24/65, J2.

65 A few of Flood's: Earl Robinson interview.

66 “immediately [to]”: Memo from FBI Director to SAC, San Francisco, 10/30/64, Flood FBI File, SF office.

66 The San Francisco office: Flood FBI file, SF office.

66 “recent notoriety”: Memo from FBI Director to SAC, San Francisco, 10/30/64, Flood FBI file, FOIA appeal, 1/25/05.

66 In October 1963, Hoover: Garrow,
Bearing the Cross
, 303-4, 323, 372-74.

66 The New York Mets players:
NYT
, 6/8/68, 34.

66 Milt Pappas:
SPD
, 6/9/68, 1D, 4D;
SPD
, 6/12/68, 3E; Pappas,
Out at Home
, 189-91;
NYT
, 6/10/68, 60;
Sport
, 8/69, 82.

66-67 “When something happens”; “the best work”:
WP
, 8/4/68, C2.

67 Like Flood, McDonald also placed: Tommy McDonald interview.

67 In a 1967
Los Angeles Times
:
LAT
, 5/23/67, C3.

67 “I guess”: Burns,
Baseball
, vol. 8; Burns/Flood interview, 8. For a similar quote, see Curran, “Curt Flood and the Baseball Revolution,”
L.A. Weekly
, 4/1-7/94, 24.

69 he saw: Dal Maxvill interview.

69 A Washington University: Ibid.;
SGD
, 5/9-10/64, 2G;
SPD
, 5/11/64, 4C;
SPD
, 10/5/64, 4B; Craft and Owens,
Redbirds Revisited
, 147-53.

69-70 Maxvill had no idea; “How can”; “It's just”; “Everybody”; “You haven't”; “It's early”; “Why are”: Dal Maxvill interview.

70 “Do you know”: Korr,
The End of Baseball As We Knew It
, 87 (Maxvill).

70 While waiting: Ibid.; Tim McCarver interview; McCarver,
Few and Chosen
, 95-96 (recalling they waited in the Atlanta airport). Maxvill insists it was Miami, which makes sense for a flight to Puerto Rico. Dal Maxvill interview.

70 McCarver once walked: Gibson,
Stranger to the Game
, 60; McCarver,
Oh, Baby, I Love It!
, 61; Halberstam,
October 1964
, 220-21.

70 Another time: Halberstam,
October 1964
, 221.

70 At spring training: Gibson,
Stranger to the Game
, 60; Halberstam,
October 1964
, 221.

71 “Tim McCarver was a rugged”: Flood,
The Way It Is
, 87-88.

71 “everybody but”:
SPD
, 4/12/66, 4C.

71 “complete shock”: Tim McCarver interview.

71 “Curt, do you really”: “Curt Flood,”
ESPN SportsCentury
(McCarver).

71 McCarver soon realized: Tim McCarver interview; McCarver,
Few and Chosen
, 95; “Curt Flood,”
ESPN SportsCentury
.

71 McCarver still believed: Tim McCarver interview.

71 Flood had another: Judy Pace Flood interview; Dick Moss interview.

72 The daughter:
BAA
, 8/28-9/1/73, 15.

72 Flood first noticed: Judy Pace Flood interview.

72 “That's awful”: Dick Moss interview.

72 For nearly a year; Flood clamored; “[Curt] thought”; “Now you can”: Judy Pace Flood interview.

72 The following year: Flood,
The Way It Is
, 178.

72 Over the years, Flood visited: Judy Pace Flood interview; Lisanti,
Fantasy Femmes of Sixties Cinema
, 215.

72 Flood and Pace shared: Judy Pace Flood interview.

73 Before the meeting: Marvin Miller interview.

73 “Why is it”: Miller,
A Whole Different Ball Game
, 186.

73 Instead, the owners offered: MLBPA Memo from Miller to All Major League Players, 12/26/69, 1-2; “Minutes of Executive Board Meeting,” 12/13-14/69, 1-2 (on file with author).

73 The players also reviewed: “Minutes of Executive Board Meeting,” 12/13-14/69, 3; MLBPA Memo, “Discussions with the Owners' Representatives Regarding the Reserve Rules,” 1-3 (on file with author).

73 “If you want to change”:
SGD
, 1/1/70, E2.

73 Miller spoke first: Marvin Miller interview.

74 “third degree”: Handwritten Meeting Notes, 12/13/69, 6 (on file with author).

74 The players were skeptical: Dick Moss interview; Tim McCarver interview;

Dal Maxvill interview; MLBPA Memo, “Discussions with the Owners' Representatives Regarding the Reserve Rules,” 3.

74 Donn Clendenon:
TSN
, 3/15/69, 17, 20; Gross, “The Ballplayers' Drive for Independence,”
Sport
, 8/69, 82.

74 The Expos coaxed:
NYT
, 3/19/69, 53;
NYDN
, 3/25/69, 88; Holtzman, “Two Divisions, Rules, Player Demands, Etc.,” 271-75.

74 shaggy-haired, mod-dressing: Harrelson,
Hawk
, 224-44.

74 dark glasses: Ibid., 231.

74 $75,000 plus $25,000: Holtzman, “Two Divisions, Rules, Player Demands, Etc.,” 277; Kuhn,
Hardball
, 50; Briley, “Baseball and America in 1969,” 274. Compare Gross, “The Ballplayers' Drive for Independence,”
Sport
, 8/69, 15 (claiming that Harrelson's salary was $50,000 annual contract plus $25,000 for promotional services).

74 Maury Wills:
TSN
, 6/14/69, 18;
TSN
, 6/28/69, 26.

75
caveat emptor: TSN
, 12/20/69, 28; Holtzman, “Two Divisions, Rules, Player Demands, Etc.,” 277-78.

75 After Miller spoke: Marvin Miller interview; “Minutes of Executive Board Meeting,” 12/13-14/69, 3-4.

75 “under the same yoke”: Handwritten Meeting Notes, 12/13/69, 6; Korr,
The End of Baseball As We Knew It
, 88. See also Flood,
The Way It Is
, 193 (Flood's recollection).

75 After Flood finished: Handwritten Meeting Notes, 12/13/69, 6; Marvin Miller interview.

75 The player representatives questioned: Handwritten Meeting Notes, 12/13/69, 6-11; “Discussions with the Owners' Representatives Regarding the Reserve Rules,” 3; Marvin Miller interview; Tim McCarver interview; Dal Maxvill interview.

75 “A lot of people think”:
SPD
, 1/27/70, 3B.

76 Tom Haller: Handwritten Meeting Notes, 12/13/69, 7 (“with today's social situation, is being black a motivation”); Flood,
The Way It Is
, 17 (“This is a period of black militance. Do you feel that you're doing this as part of a movement?Because you're black?”); Miller,
A Whole Different Ball Game
, 185 (“He mentioned first the turbulence of the 1960s, the struggle over civil rights and black power, a new consciousness about race relations and past injustices and the righting of wrongs. Haller's question then was: ‘Are you doing this simply because you're black and you feel that baseball has been discriminatory?'”); Holtzman, “Two Divisions, Rules, Player Demands, Etc.,” 304.

76 Haller's question: Miller,
A Whole Different Ball Game
, 185-86; Marvin Miller interview.

76 But the question was: Tim McCarver interview; Tom Haller interview; Ron Brand interview; Miller,
A Whole Different Ball Game
, 185-86.

76 “I didn't want”: Tom Haller interview.

76 “I wanted to make”: Ron Brand interview.

76 “fascinating question”: Flood,
The Way It Is
, 17.

76 Flood explained: Handwritten Meeting Notes, 12/13/69, 7; Flood,
The Way It Is
, 17-18, 195; Miller,
A Whole Different Ball Game
, 186; Marvin Miller interview; Tom Haller interview.

77 Flood knew: Flood,
The Way It Is
, 17-18.

77 Not even McCarver: Tim McCarver interview.

77 Jim Bunning; Reggie Jackson . . . asked; Haller asked; McCarver asked: Handwritten Meeting Notes, 12/13/69, 7.

77-78 Moe Drabowsky; Bob Locker; Several players; Roberto Clemente; Reggie Jackson: Ibid., 8.

78 Steve Hamilton; Bunning asked: Ibid., 9; Jim Lonborg interview.

78 Drabowsky asked: Handwritten Meeting Notes, 12/13/69, 9.

79 With Miller's support: Korr,
The End of Baseball As We Knew It
, 95.

79 Clemente took up: Handwritten Meeting Notes, 12/13/69, 10.

79 In February 1954: There is some dispute about when Clemente was signed. Some sources say 1952, and Clemente claimed in that union meeting that he was 17. Ibid. That may have been the date of his first tryout, but Clemente was not officially signed until February 1954, when he was 19.
TSN
, 3/3/54, 26.

79 $10,000 bonus (and $5,000 salary): According to Clemente biographer David Maraniss, Clemente received a $10,000 bonus from the Dodgers and $5,000 for the 1954 season. E-mail from David Maraniss, 12/15/05. Compare Handwritten Meetings Notes, 12/13/69, 10 (mentioning only $10,000) with
TSN
, 3/3/54, 26 (reporting that the Dodgers signed him for $15,000).

79 $4,000: Clemente said it was $5,000 (Handwritten Meetings Notes, 12/13/69, 10), but it was actually $4,000.
TSN
, 12/1/54, 26;
TSN
, 12/8/54, 20;
NYT
, 11/23/54, 28. Clemente was available for $4,000 instead of $10,000 for the typical Triple-A player because he was considered a bonus player. Branch Rickey, having left the Dodgers for the Pirates, knew this and stuck it to his nemesis, Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley, by grabbing Clemente for $4,000.