The first thing and most important thing to know about Curt Flood's Hall of Fame candidacy is that he didn’t topple the Reserve Clause in Major League Baseball, at least not single-handedly.
Sure, it was a big deal when the veteran center fielder refused to report to the Philadelphia Phillies after a December 1969 trade from the St. Louis Cardinals. “After twelve years in the Major Leagues, I do not feel I am a piece of property to be bought and sold irrespective of my wishes,” Flood told Commissioner Bowie Kuhn in a subsequent letter.
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Important words, absolutely.