Stay. But Usually like that. The window in there back to the office. Okay. I was 2260 - four series. Oh okay, That was 560 - seven. I believe I saw him sports Amen when we Baseball game That will get you they might have had the first. Hey guys. How are you? It's 18? Missouri. If yes, How are you doing? Yes, yeah, my phone right. Yes. Okay. don't worry about the cheering I could probably ask questions. So how long this market 16? Yeah, well. Hello. Baseball and he said. And one of the general. Are the only shoes who are all nine? Yes and he. I'm Ann White, I represent Missouri Second Congressional district, which is he's got pushed all the Cardinals. Hey. That's what happened. Let's go guys. okay. Buddy She's gonna hi who's this. I think Stephen I have a Stephen. I gotta take your hand. Stephen So I'm Stephen with the PH UPHP same Stephen. That's right. That's what we call a very nice feature your pleasure. Okay everybody. My name is David Troy. I'm a chiropractor from Maryland and an unabashed baseball fan. so we got a lot of baseball fans here today but also more importantly, we have a lot of professional sports fans here today because what Curt Flood did a champion is resonating for professional sports the last 50 years. so today, March the fiftieth anniversary of all Star player Kirk. Loves courageous efforts to challenge the Major League Baseballs Reserve system and today we call together for his rightful inclusion and baseball's Hall of Fame Congress and is Julie just said. All of America has come together through Congress. Whether we're senators or congressmen representatives, Republicans or Democrats we've come together. And I wanna thank my colleagues for joining us efforts. First of all I recognize that while speaking of minutes, Senator Roy Blunt from Missouri Congressman William Lacy Clay, also for Missouri Congressman Ann Wagner from Missouri that today we have represented this year from all the various major League system associations to endorse the efforts for court and you'll hear from a few today. you guys can raise your hands if you walk through the. Savior James Chief Operating officer Immediately Baseball Players Association, Alright, Chris Chris Capilano for Major League baseball player and director of operations of Major League Baseball Players Association, Don Fair, former Major League Baseball Association executive director and currently the National Hockey League Association executive director and I'm Ray Collins professional football. Our very own Washington Redskins and also National Football League Player Association, Tyler Madden quarterback quarterback of the Raiders, Clarence Desmond General Council National Basketball Association, Johnny Andrews Council for Major League Soccer Players Association and a Mirror Lowry, former Major League soccer player, and with also be. Soccer Association So we've got all the sports here together today what current flood affected every single professional sport in America. He helped create free agency within majorly baseball and literally transformed transformed All professional sports Senator playing for 12 seasons with the Saint Louis Cardinals. Kurt Flood was traded. Philadelphia Phillies In 1960, - nine at the time players were bound by life for life by the So-called preserved clause. Simply put a player was a piece of property for that team and a courageous challenge Court refused to trade and he follow lawsuit that went to the US He was denied Supreme Court by five to three, but that momentum and that righteous cause that led to others to pick up a crusade in 1970 - five major League baseball eliminate Reserve clause and free agency move forward so little curtain never saw the benefits of his challenge. His actions paid for way for free agency the all our players and all the The benefits why first third floor on the Hall of Fame, I was absolutely shot as we walked around the House and the Senate to get sponsors this letter. That's what we hear every single time. You're kidding me. Kurt Flood's right in the Hall of Fame I've ever growing up in the 19 sixties watching Curt Flood on TV beat my team, The New York Yankees in a 60 - four. He came back in New York back in 1960, - seven, and they beat the Red Sox were back in 60 - eight. They fell to Detroit, but all through the sixties that I lived through literally baseball. Kurt Flood was one of those idols that she just wanted to emulate the Center fielder seven straight Gold Glove awards so during times when so many Americans early divided but we can come tog. To remember someone who stood for what is right, even though he knew they'd be difficult entire consequences against him in their world. So today we recognize Kurt, it took intellect. It's a courage. It's a real guts and we could use more of that today and today the players greatly benefit as time we honor Curt Flood as the American hero that he is. I like to introduce my colleague say if you words first Senator Roy Blunt thank you. David Well. Thank you. David. Thanks for being the really I think safely I can say the driving force behind this letter and getting this done. I'm glad to be here with my Missouri Friends Center, Lacy Clay and Senator Anne Wagner Senator Durban right across right across the River from Saint Louis, Illinois made the toughest of all transitions as an adult to move from Cardinal fan as a child to. As we know, there's still enough of that blood in him that he was glad to go sign this letter with me on the Senate side and what a what a great? what a great multi I was growing up in the fifties and sixties. I'm very farmers Paul at night. I can remember this just like it was last night, Whoever said the truck probably can't hear anything now today because they had that we insisted that radio, he turned up so loud so we could hear what was. With the carnival game, there was a lot of TV baseball before 1916 America TV baseball. We saw there's the game of the week with recent dizzy name and then the series and I remember seeing the Cardinals play on TV in the series for the first time at 60 - four. But that's after Curt Flood had already proven what a great player. He was what a great motivator he was with the great Sand usual is finish up his career in right field blood. We pray all of Center and about half of But still be on the team and then that's 60 1460 14 was built wide at first Julian Harvey here at Second Dick Road shortstop Kenny Warrior at third McCarter Tim McCarver, catching most of the time I always will get some pitch and then the Blue Brock Kurt Flood and my Shannon, who still broadcast a carnival games today. it was one of the you know it's I need to look this up yesterday to check and see if I still knew the outfield from this. Cardinals totally impressed nobody. Nobody played a bigger part and was a hard that team more than seven years straight. He was determined to be the best Center fielder in the National League, a critical part of managing two World series, and then, of course, is David's already pointed out. Suddenly the Cardinals decide well. We'll do what we've done with every other player back they did with Tim McCarver at the same time. we'll tell you where you gonna play next year and One page letter to the Commissioner, he said. Be sure I quote this right after 12 years in the major leagues. I do not feel that I'm a piece of property to be bought and sold irrespective of my wishes. So that letter a copy of that letter is in the Hall in all at all. Thank if the letter should be in the Hall of Fame hurt blood should be in the Hall of Fame. We thank you so much let me congratulate my colleague David Trona, Maryland. He didn't have to do this, but he did and I always tell people that black history is American history. We need to save the names, tell the stories and honor the struggle. So today we remember the courage and sacrifice. The late great Curvy curvy Courage both on and off the field qualifies him for induction into baseball's Hall of Fame and some of you know he's already a member of the same those Cardinals all of fame and he deserves to be in Cooperstown. When I was against a kid, I was lucky enough to see him play at Sportsman's Park and then afterwards at Stadium downtown. And and fun wasn't bringing Center field a perennial All-Star, a two -time World Series champion I happen to be in game six 1960. Commit an error and he slept on the grass and I looked at my dad. I was 12 years old, like what happened in the whole entire Stadium gas. They couldn't believe it. We have never seen it as a kid. I've never seen it, but his courage stuck a driver struck a giant blow for freedom. Ain't also a form of great friend of my dad former congressman. Bills like when he stood up the Reserve clause and demanded to be treated like a man instead of a piece of property for he was a symbol of determination and uncompromising dignity who stood up against injustice and changed the game forever Changed American sports forever, and he deserves to be in the Hall and we're not only gathering signatures from members of Congress to go. Events the Golden Era Committee to induct curve flood, but I'm inviting cartoon nation and baseball fans everywhere to add your voices to this campaign and this is your chance to help us go to back for Curt Flood and if you'd like to go to bed, but current flood be a social media and this is a shameless plug. Official Facebook page and Congressman Claim one and thank you. Thank you very much. Alright. Thank you Congresswoman Missouri. Thank you. Thank you to my my colleague from Maryland really has been the women on all of this at I was born a Cardinal fan. I believe Red alright, big time Cardinal Red and you know I grew up and in South County and always had the pleasure of cheering on the Red birds and so many world series. Championships my husband and I were trying to make every single opening day of year after year unless I'm stuck here in Washington, DC. we are there at Bush Stadium. It is there's no place like an opening day. The Saint Louis Cardinals is absolutely amazing. Budweiser Clydesdales come running around the track. We've got former players the return. standing at the plate and they're Red Blazers and eager degree the season, 40 - 5000 cheering fans just the best fans I think in in all of of of baseball, so it is a citywide holiday and absolute celebration and a large part of that history had to do with obviously with Kurt Flood and we owe him a debt of gratitude and not Justice a For his courage in standing up and and I'm just so thrilled to be here with my my colleagues would lunch and basically with Missus flood and your beautiful daughter and you're adorable plus grandson. Stephen Not just embarrassed. Yeah. Nice so happy to be a little Steven here and Imma tell you what Stephen when you're when when her flood great great played in 1960 - four. You know what I was two years old. Yeah and it's 60 - seven. I was I was five and we used to listen to those carnival games on the radio on the 90 months came away and it was absolutely a joy and the contributions that he made not I have to say on a magical feel it off the field and all of these these gentlemen behind me are a testament. They have absolutely been able to benefit from his courage and his his resiliency in challenging his free agency. so obviously we we've heard about some of the difficulties and and that with that courage moving forward, but we believe. And not just as as Cardinal fans, not just as Curt flood fans, but also As Cardinal Nation, I have to say it is high time beyond time for current flight to enter baseball's Hall of Fame once and for all. so here is the Cardinal Nation, the curve flood and the U S Stephen We're gonna get it done. Thank you very very much. Thanks, we have Judy Pace and Judge Mary Curt Flood in 1980, - six a first met to the 19 sixties following her appearance with Willie Mays on the dating game. That was a television show. Okay. Some of you to know I remember Julie Company floods in the NFL BPA meeting and San Juan in 1960 -. Take your board for unanimously to support Kurtz Court challenge Following Kurt Steph the 1990 - seven, She became a leading advocate for the Major League Baseball Players Association and the rights that are late husband champion Jude. Thank you I think Kurt is dancing the gym of their life. Now he's having an absolute beautiful day today and I have to say I have to turn around. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. all of you. handsome men. Thank you for coming and supporting good flood. They are all dynamic. The fact that all of the unions have come together. I think that's just such an accomplishment. But I have to say this many times people give you current sets as they do and he has some incredible staff. My favorite is the seven consecutive gold gloves now understand I'm saying consecutive many people might players might have had more gloves, but he was the perfect athlete in the sixties. Absolutely the perfect the 1960 - nine glove that he won. he did not receive until 1990 - four they I call them and they present it to him in nineteen ninety-three he was so happy and so so so now sometimes you gonna realise the close connection that in the sixties hand and effect on good is the rose marks a sports he too has arrived at the back of us when he would Carolina League. He was a second black person to come there. He always rode in the back of the team bus. He also had to have his food brought to him because they would not let him come into the to the restaurants. He went through a period in the South that just made him realize just how wrong everything was and he is. That but he felt that little girls are being bombed. people were being hug. People were marching. people were being bonded buses and he said here I am in the Stadium and I don't have my civil rights. I don't have my civil rights, he was determined to change the Reserve clause. Absolutely positively was going to go right ahead and do it, he said. If I don't do it, I'm going to feel sick and I will be ill if I do do it. I'm going to be healed and I'm going to be sick but I'm going to do it and he did. he felt that the American game was not been a part of America and of course a person of African distance recognise the of this the individual of being and so because his ancestors have involved and so so use so it was going forward is determined and he was able to see the change I always know when there was a big deal done regarding the reserve class when he would be morning paper give you this will give you got what please for all the players and who were able to actually feel the results of what he did and he was also Happy lovingly fact that he was so embraced by the players players up today. many have commented on court in regards to their New Reserve clause of their not being a mistake, but he was very very happy when they would let him know they appreciated what he did and how he did it. So he was a determined very determined person and brilliant. it was brilliant on the field and he was academically brilliant. Sometimes you speak cover of Sports Speaker. Think that perhaps they worried that they were that smart student body President of his school. It was predominantly White school. He would drink all the best players to the school. His classmates were Frank Robinson, Bill Russell. They all went on to do something incredible within the disciplines there current was broken and those gentlemen wrote, and also I'm just so happy and so pleased that this is happening and I feel like he said the congressman it's Congress. Represent all the people in the United States, so that means everyone is saying Curt Flood is going to be in the Hall of Fame, so no one will ever have to say this. what God bless the whole thing. You'll never have to say that again, this is going to happen. Everything is lined up perfectly with Marvin me in the Hall of Fame. This is the fiftieth anniversary of the letter and this is happening now. This is very historical and I just say. It's absolutely absolutely bad deficit and thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. That was great. Thank you so much for your words and Judy's America's behind her all behind Kirk for diseases, but I also was professional sports teams in America are all here. All major sports leagues are here with their representatives. A few of those folks that all signed on to the letter with all the kindness folks bipartisan is on board. Next is Chris Chris is a graduate of Duke played the major leagues. 2003 to 2016, and then he was the elected representative the NFL BPA, and then after his career, he got an MBA at Sloan School and MIT and now he's director of operations from Angel Baseball Players Association, Chris Alright. Well, that's a tough act to follow amazing. I also wanna thank said and thank Congressman Senator Blunt Congressman Clay Wagner. I wanna thank you guys for taking a cause. That's so important to players both current and former. Executive Director Tony Clark. He can't be here today as well for this but I think and Marvin as well. what understand 20 pass as long as best, but he's in Florida now for his annual spring training tour and every one of those meetings tell me and others on staff will be breathing into this new generation of players and I can guarantee you that everyone of those meetings the name we'll be set with reverence as we teach them about our union's proud history. All of our executive directors starting from Marvin up to Don, who I was a player when he was an executive director as well, to Michael Weiner to Tony Clark. They all educated us as players about the sacrifices of generations that came before and about the obligations that we had to try to leave the game better to make it better for the guys who are gonna follow us. No player embodies this more than Kurt flooded. 30 - One Year-old Young man a superstar in his crime who had the fortitude 50 years ago to stand up and challenge this Reserve clause, which have been in place for about 90 years at A selfless act he sure he had the unanimous support of all these players and players Association behind him. But Kurt was the one that was really out there that face black listing that was told by Marvin Miller that his case was a long shot. A principal, one and court ultimately decided to press forward so this really hit home for me when at the same age as Kurt was when he challenged Reserve clause. I hit free agency for the first time and had the opportunity in my career to read the benefits that curve made the sacrifice for you to enjoy. Indeed today players in all sports ball players enjoy that same right to free agency. This altar is right back to hurt. You didn't win his case at the time, but what this did was framed the issue properly for players. It sparked a National dialogue, a galvanized the players behind him and it paved the way for an explosion of competition and a thriving sports industry that we see today. So for the person, the player that Kurt was is only fitting and we believe right that he be inducted into his rightful place in the Hall of Fame this fall and again, I just wanna thank all the signers on both sides of the aisle who looks legs together. Thank you. We have mentioned the executive director of the National Baseball Players Association for 20 - six years and now he's director of the National Populate Association and Tom Kurtz very well for this time of the Thank you Thank all of you for coming The time that I was executive director of Major League Baseball Players Association. I did get to know curve as well as many of the other former players, but I knew him first as a fan. I did not grow up in Saint Louis. I'm sorry, but I did grow up in Kansas City and in the sixties in Kansas City. We had a baseball team, but it didn't win very often once a week was about the rule, the Cardinals were the toast of the country and so we watched. And what I most remember about how he played was something that I later learned the baseball players treated as an accident, Matic with him and it signifies a great player, which was that he was always where he was supposed to be doing what he was supposed to do and he was never in a hurry when he was always there ahead of the time people relied on him. I didn't understand how much they would come to rely on him off the field. He had a clearly building Hall of Fame career cut short, but why cut short was of his own doing as we have heard it was cut short because he said, thus far and no farther. this is wrong. It has to change and somebody has to put his foot down and say we're not crossing this line. It might as well. Be me. When I was younger in history, I had what I now believe to be sort of a silly belief that great social changes would sweep the world and effort affect society change. My old age represented professional athletes and watch the scene in the early seventies. I no longer believe that's true people make the changes people do things. and in this case, he didn't know the Union, Marvin Miller and Dick Austin was the General Council at the time were very glad to support him and they needed him. It was his decision to start the process and his decision to carry through and there's a lesson there for all professional athletes and maybe all Union members generally you can have all the staff you want. Marvin Miller was maybe the greatest Union leader in the last half century, but it's the members who make the difference and the members have leaders. His cases you know stream court if you ever want to read a strange eerie weird and incomprehensible Supreme Court majority opinion. That's it because what it says it's only four or five pages, half of which is Harry Blackman talking about his baseball heroes. He is the opinion basically says the law that was judged me. I can point to. I trust laws don't apply to baseball was wrong. It never should have been done. It has not been applied to any other sport or industry, but it's not our problem. We'll throw it to the Congress too Bad. I've never in the all the long years since I graduated law school in 1970, - three ever come across a decision quite like that. Interestingly enough in the law that I believe bears his name. The Congress did eventually really hit in 1990. So he won the war, so let me give you just a a personal note for a moment that at all. Turnover. I first represented Major League players in 1970 - five in the proceedings, which led to the free agency victory necessary case. I joined Marvin Miller staff in 1970 - seven. I worked on a lot of things talked to a lot of players. learn the history heard everything I had to learn and thought I understood Including a long strike to preserve free agency in 1990. I didn't understand until I was at Curtis Funeral, which I was honored and privileged to give a few remarks because what I learned then was that people from all walks of life and all aspects of society viewed him as a role model as an inspiration and as someone who made a difference. Kind of reverence in voices that came out and they spoke about him still resonates with me. so I wanna thank Congressman Trump Clay Wagner Senator Blunt. Their efforts and those of their colleagues, I hope that induction into the Hall of Fame will come sooner rather than later and I'll be privileged to sit out there and Cooperstown and listen to Judy given us. Our guest Speaker today is Andrew Collins played 10 seasons outside linebacker in NFL started Super Bowl 20 - six for the Redskins and now is executive director of the Professional Player Athletes Foundation, The NFL Players Association, and also of course the Penn State football Thanks for having us here today as a Union as a Union leader representing the NFL PPA in our executive director, DeMaurice Smith and all the players of the National Football League, including Dylan Maven, who's here today, who's an active player with the Raiders. It's always important for us to come together and pay homage to to the Mass or that have gone out as the loan wolf. That's always a very difficult thing to do in 1990, - three when the NFL player. Were in our own free agency battle. We had to draw on the strength of Kurt Flood to try and understand what sacrifice was all about and no doubt he shaped Gino Michelle, the Lake Charles vision for for our own free agency and football and players like Freeman McNeil and Reggie White and the players that play in the League today or all standing on the shoulders of Kirk floods bravery. There's no doubt that. What he's done on the field deserves recognition in the Hall of Fame, but even more importantly, his fight really just to try and improve working conditions for himself and for the other players in major League baseball is is so important, you know I just and on top of that to just try and improve the quality of life for himself and his family. So just you know based on that alone, those two things what he did on the field. And a fight that he had in a locker room for his players is so important and should be recognized by all players in all sports today and free agency just wouldn't have happened. if not for Kirk floods courageous fight. I can remember in 1990, - three and the Redskins locker room. We were so confused about free agency and what it would have meant for us as players we argue with one another about whether or not this would make the game better whether or not we would Teams and if that was good for us, you know Indiana as players always do, we always come to the right decision. so it's made our game better. We're still fighting today. We have to always fight but at least we have these wonderful examples of Curt flood that help us remember what it's like and that we can't take anything for granted as Union leaders. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Thanks everybody for coming out today I wanna thank Missus flood again. we're gonna make this happen. It's gonna happen. It's so unbelievably overdue and deserved anybody has a quick question. We're happy to take that. Also we have a quick question. anybody not back to work. go ahead for the Arthur Chris for the undefeated for the Missouri Congress People how's this wise bipartisan issue and how are you able to come together regardless of party for which you know we actually have an obligation that works really well together Work on lots of things together, some things we don't agree on we're actually pretty big sports stands we're also I think impressed by the courage and courage courage and always glad to do things for placing CNN and our whole delegation and all the members of the House and members of the Senate work with lots of thing we pride ourselves. frankly, the things we can find to agree on and we couldn't agree on Kurt Blood what we agree on, but we had no. Problem on this and frankly, the problem a lot of things right and we are close group as a senator, said. We meet regularly. We come together on each other individual legislative initiative so we are always we say we prior ourselves on sticking together. It's only 11 of us and so we have to be close. Thank you all what do you think the hold up has been to getting to getting him into the Hall of Fame before now and why do you think that it's likely to change this flood? I absolutely believe this, I think the whole is a lot of people. I have saying this but like you and reply to me well behaved women rarely make history. Curt flood make history and we are too so. Okay, one last question anybody else. We're all good. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you.