A Well-Paid Slave (67 page)

141 “I thought”; “was in love”: Monte Irvin interview.

141 “The commissioner”; “Oh, come on”; “He's a very”: Flood,
The Way It Is,
203-4.

141 League lawyers: Lou Hoynes interview.

141 AM DISAPPOINTED: Kuhn,
Hardball
, 85; Flood,
The Way It Is,
204.

142 As the commissioner and a fan: TT, 667:7-13 (Kuhn).

142 Kuhn spoke with:
PDN
, 3/12/70, 61;
PDN
, 3/17/70, 72.

142 Even owners Gussie Busch and Bob Carpenter:
PI
, 3/20/70, 27;
PDN
, 3/28/70, 30.

142 Mike Shannon: Mike Shannon interview;
TSN
, 4/4/70, 21.

142 not a single major leaguer:
PDN
, 3/23/70, 60;
PI
, 3/20/70, 27.

143 On March 4: TT, 128:19-129:22 (Flood).

143 This prevented:
SPD
, 4/8/70, 2C;
WP
, 4/8/70, D4.

143 Part of the reason: TT, 667:7-13 (Kuhn).

143 “[a] player on the Restricted List”: Rule 15(a), 1969
Baseball Blue Book,
Ex. A, NARA, NY, SDNY.

143 Although Flood or the Phillies: Rules 18(a) and (b), ibid.

143 Danny Gardella; George Toolson:
NYT
, 6/6/49, 24;
Toolson v. New York Yan-
kees
, 101 F. Supp. 93, 93 (S.D. Cal. 1951).

143 On April 23, Cooper issued:
Flood v. Kuhn
, 312 F. Supp. 404 (S.D.N.Y. 1970); TT, 108A-126A.

145 He received; Flood and his trial team:
TSN
, 6/6/70, 4.

145 Kuhn sat:
NYP
, 5/20/70, 100.

145 The court clerk:
TSN
, 6/6/70, 4.

145 Members of the press:
TSN
, 6/6/70, 4.

146 “Howard Cosell's big beak”: Douglas Robinson interview.

146 “A great day”: Bill Iverson interview.

146 “We are not ready”: TT, 3:8-10 (Hughes).

147 “Then I told”: Reeves, “This Is the Battle of the Titans?”
NYTM
, 11/1/70, 224.

147 He insisted: Richard Reeves interview.

147 “I spent a month”: “Mr. Goldberg Runs for Office,”
New Yorker
, 6/13/70, 28.

147 Topkis, Bill Iverson: Phone Logs, 5/6/70, 5/14/70, Goldberg Papers, Box I- 135, Folder 4.

147 Goldberg's schedule; The morning of Flood's trial: Campaign Schedules, Goldberg Papers, Box I-65, Folder 1.

147 “I would like to”: TT, 8:23 (Goldberg).

148 “Mr. Justice Goldberg”: TT
,
8:24 (Hughes).

148 Cooper refused: TT, 9:10.

148 “Very well”; “Mr. Curtis”: TT, 10:15-16 (Goldberg).

148 “I've really got”:
CST
, 5/18/70, 91.

148 Gibson, off to a slow:
NYT
, 5/19/70, 50.

148 On April 29:
SPD
, 4/29/70, 25A.

148 He did not know: Flood, “The Legacy of Curt Flood,”
Sport
, 11/77, 39.

148 The day before Flood's trial: Allan Zerman interview.

149 it seemed huge: Whitford, “Curt Flood,”
Sport
, 12/86, 106.

149 The benches:
TSN
, 6/6/70, 4.

149 First, he said: TT, 12:15-21, 13:11-16 (Flood).

149 He sat hunched:
NYP
, 5/20/70, 104;
NYDN
, 5/20/70, 118;
WP
, 5/20/70, D1; “Curt Flood's Complaint,”
Newsweek
, 6/1/70, 85.

149 Goldberg gently: TT, 25:10-14, 21-23 (Flood).

149 he was so afraid: Whitford, “Curt Flood,”
Sport
, 12/86, 106.

149-50 Bill Iverson; “because he”: Bill Iverson interview.

150 “What are you”; “A baseball card”: TT, 25:21-24 (Flood).

150 Flood used: TT, 25:17-26:17, 35:17-36:13 (Flood).

150 Goldberg asked: TT, 30-33 (Goldberg).

150 “I state”; “I would state”: TT, 30:18 (Flood).

150 “Now, Mr. Flood”; “No sir”: TT, 33:5-7 (Cooper and Flood).

150 “I want you”: TT, 33:8-10 (Cooper).

151 “I guess that they”: Whitford, “Curt Flood,”
Sport
, 12/86, 106.

151 Flood used the baseball card: TT, 35:23-25 (Flood).

151 Goldberg read: TT, 37-38;
NYT
, 5/21/70, 48.

152 receiving $500: TT, 40:17-23, 41:8-14, 23-25 (Flood).

152 “Why did you”; “I didn't think”: TT, 63:9-11 (Flood).

152 “[i]f I had”: TT, 64:8-9 (Flood).

152 “could play another”: TT, 64:10 (Flood).

152 Mark Hughes began by: TT, 107:12-108:14 (Flood).

152 “The trial is”: TT, 114:8-15 (Cooper).

153 “[W]e, in conversation”; “I'm sorry”; “That is”: TT, 115:20-25 (Flood).

153 “I think some”: TT, 118:18 (Flood).

153-54 “Well, which is”; “I would like”: TT, 118:19-23 (Flood).

154 “Any revision”: TT, 122:17-19 (Flood).

154 “Well, I feel”: TT, 121:9-10 (Flood).

154 “Mr. Flood”: TT, 125:11-13 (Flood).

154 Goldberg objected: TT, 125:14-17 (Goldberg).

154 “I think”: TT, 126:9-10 (Flood).

154 “Do you want”; “No, I like”: TT, 126:12-14 (Cooper and Goldberg). *

154 “Engraved”: This answer was not recorded on the transcript, but picked up by the press.
NYP
, 5/20/70, 100, and
PDN
, 5/20/70, 60 (attributing it to one of Goldberg's associates);
BES
, 5/20/70, D1 (attributing it to Goldberg). Topkis, however, referenced his earlier line in a colloquy with Judge Cooper later in the trial. TT, 1318:11-12 (Topkis) (“As I said before, your Honor, engraved in gold”).

155 Miller also detailed: TT, 183:22-184:10 (Miller).

155 Cooper granted: TT, 187a (Cooper).

155 Flood was done: TT, 187 (Cooper).

155 “On the surface”:
NYP
, 5/20/70, 100.

155 “trailed on several”:
PDN
, 5/20/70, 60.

156 “Lindsay for Mayor”:
NYT
, 5/21/70, 1.

156 Every time Kramer hopped; “Some of that”: Douglas Robinson interview.

156 one former player: Jay Topkis interview; Bill Iverson interview.

156 “If ever there”: Bill Iverson interview.

156 In response to questions: Study of Monopoly Power, Pt. 6, Organized Base-ball, 82d Cong., 1st Sess., 10/16/51, 601-2.

157 The Associated Press:
SPD
, 5/20/70, 26.

157 Iverson called; “None of them”: Bill Iverson interview.

157 The media:
WP
, 5/21/70, G3.

158 He had suffered: Rampersad,
Jackie Robinson
, 429; Kahn,
Boys of Summer
, 398-99.

158 His doctor: Rampersad,
Jackie Robinson
, 441.

158 Robinson walked: Burns,
Baseball
documentary, vol. 9 (Flood); Burns/Flood interview, 11.

158 He shook; Tears welled: Flood,
The Way It Is,
204-5; Flood, “The Legacy of Curt Flood,”
Sport
, 11/77, 38-39.

158 A hush fell: Burns,
Baseball
documentary, vol. 9 (Flood); Burns/Flood interview, 11.

159 He criticized:
BAA
, 5/12/70, 17 (Frank);
LAT
, 3/16/68, A1 (Willie);
BAA
, 2/21/67, 13 (Willie);
BAA
, 3/19/68, 12 (Willie);
BAA
, 4/2/68, 12 (Willie). See
A Well-Paid Slave
, 120, 396.

159 He clashed:
LAT
, 7/25/69, B10;
BAA
, 8/5/69, 15; Cosell,
Cosell
, 73-74.

159 “I don't know”: “Where the Negro Goes from Here in Sports,”
Sport
, 9/66, 57.

159 “when there's an issue”: Ibid., 59.

159 “I think Curt is doing”: Thompson, “Man Who Fights Power Structure of Baseball,”
Jet
, 2/15/70, 52-53.

159 A registered independent: Rampersad,
Jackie Robinson
, 340-41. Rampersad described Robinson as “a Republican at heart, albeit a liberal Republican on the key matter of civil rights.” Ibid., 341.

160 Iverson thought: Bill Iverson interview.

160 In July, the company: Rampersad,
Jackie Robinson
, 420-21, 440.

160 “It had seemed”: Bill Iverson interview.

160 “thought Flood”: Marvin Miller interview.

160 “I was young”: Miller,
A Whole Different Ball Game
, 366.

161 Even lawyers: Douglas Robinson interview.

161 “You don't”; “No”: TT, 192:6-7 (Robinson).

161 Judge Cooper tried; “Well, sir”: TT, 192:8-19 (Robinson).

161 “because in my view”: TT, 195:13-18 (Robinson).

162 After the trade: TT, 195:20-196:9 (Robinson).

162 $35,000 to 50,000 or more: On December 13, 1956, the Giants sent Robinson a contract for $35,000, but an accompanying letter from Chub Feeney made it clear that the financial terms were open to discussion. Jackie Robinson Papers, Box 2, Folder 16. The amount of the Giants' final offer, generally believed to be $50,000, varies depending on the source.
NYT
, 1/10/57, 49 ($50,000 or more);
LAT
, 1/10/57, C1 ($50,000);
WP
, 1/10/57, A20 ($70,000);
CT
, 1/11/57, B3 (“around $50,000”);
TSN
, 1/16/57, 3, 6 ($50,000);
CDEF
, 1/19/57, 18 ($50,000); Rampersad,
Jackie Robinson
, 307 (citing Associated Press source of $65,000); Kahn,
The Boys of Summer,
388-89 (initial offer of $40,000 plus two years as a scout at $20,000 per season; then the Giants called to up their offer).

162 $42,500:
NYT
, 1/8/57, 35 (reporting $42,500 figure for 1953 and 1957 salary of $33,000);
TSN
, 1/16/57, 4 ($42,500 in 1952); Rampersad,
Jackie Robinson
, 245, 255 ($42,000 in 1952 and possibly 1953).

162 “statement”: TT, 196:5-9 (Robinson).

162 During the 1949 season: Rampersad,
Jackie Robinson
, 207.

162 “[A]nything that is”: TT, 198:3-11, 17-20 (Robinson);
NYT
, 5/22/70, 22;
NYP
, 5/21/70, 84, 72;
NYP
, 5/22/70, 80;
NYDN
, 5/22/70, 87.

162 younger players: TT, 198:15-17 (Robinson).

162 “the reserve clause”: TT, 199:11-13 (Robinson).

162-63 Robinson discussed; “hurt his chances”: TT, 200:9-20 (Robinson).

163 “I would like to say”: TT, 202:18-20 (Robinson).

163 Hughes objected: TT, 202:21 (Hughes).

163 “that is the issue”: TT, 203:21-22 (Cooper).

163 On cross-examination; “I am highly”; “I could have said”: TT, 210:2-213:19 (Robinson).

163 Goldberg finally objected: TT, 213:20-214:21 (Goldberg).

163 Robinson indicated: TT, 214:22-215:3 (Robinson).

164 I think they should: TT, 288:6-19 (quoting Organized Professional Team Sports, 85th Cong., 2nd Sess., 295).

164 “Could I have”: TT, 288:21 (Hughes). Both Hughes and Goldberg failed to discover Robinson's April 14, 1957, comments about the reserve clause on
Meet the Press
. In that interview, as in his Senate testimony, Robinson both defended and criticized the reserve clause. At one point, he told moderator Lawrence Spivak: “Mr. Spivak, I don't know why I'm defending this reserve clause; really I don't know why I am doing it, so, I will just say here, for the players' benefit certainly something should be done, but I hope it doesn't have to be done through the courts. I hope that the baseball owners will think enough of the ballplayers themselves to say, ‘Well, I'm going to do something for the players besides selling them whenever I can—maybe giving them a piece of the money when they are sold.' I hope it's done that way rather than through the courts.”
Meet the Press
transcript, 4/14/57, 9, Lawrence Spivak Papers. Thirteen years later, the only thing that had changed was Robinson's willingness to stand up in court against the reserve clause.

164 Robinson had testified: Organized Professional Team Sports, 85th Cong., 2nd Sess., 294-95.

164 “So I believe”: Ibid., 296.

164 “It means to me”: TT, 217:11-12 (Robinson).

164 “after a certain number”: TT, 221:23-24 (Robinson).

165 “It takes a tremendous”: TT, 222:4-12 (Robinson).

165 “soliloquy . . . sent chills”: Burns,
Baseball
, vol. 9 (Flood); Burns/Flood interview, 11.

165 Instead, Cooper requested: Douglas Robinson interview.

165 “Mr. Greenberg”: TT, 224:4-5 (Goldberg).

166 “Stick in there”; “Class tells”: Greenberg,
My Life in Baseball
, 189-91;
NYT
, 5/18/47, sec. 5, 5;
TSN
, 05/28/47, 20; Robinson,
My Own Story
, 146-47.

166 Greenberg heard: Greenberg,
The Story of My Life
, 176.

166 “Mr. Galbreath”: Ibid., 181.

167 Greenberg, knowing: Stephen Greenberg interview.

167 “Greenberg said”: Memo, Gitter and Topkis to Goldberg, 5/7/70, Telephone Logs—1970, Goldberg Papers, Box I:135, Folder 4.

167 physically imposing: Jay Topkis interview.

167 calm, reserved, and almost aloof: Bill Iverson interview.

167 “the reserve clause”: TT, 230:18-19-231:15 (Greenberg).

167 Judge Cooper asked: TT, 232:5-18 (Cooper and Greenberg).

167 “[I]t's a unilateral contract”: TT, 232:22-24 (Greenberg).

167 “I think”: TT, 235:9-21 (Greenberg).

167 “That is the kind”: TT, 235:22-24 (Cooper).