It was 40 years ago today that arguably the most important moment in the history of baseball labor relations happened, with a Dodgers pitcher the central figure. On Dec. 23, 1975, Dodgers pitcher Andy Messersmith and Expos pitcher Dave McNally won their arbitration hearing, opening the door for free agency in MLB.
Messersmith was the Dodgers' best pitcher from 1973-75, with a 2.51 ERA (a 137 ERA+) during that span, averaging 37 starts, 288 innings, 18 wins ad 204 strikeouts per year with Los Angeles. He finished in the top five in National League Cy Young Award voting twice, including fifth place in 1975, when he was 19-14 with a 2.