Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Friday 28 February 2020
Lawmakers push for Curt Flood's enshrinement in Hall of Fame

WASHINGTON (AP) — Curt Flood battled alcohol-
Flood's widow has a simple ism before rebuilding his
explanation for why her late life with the help of Pace
husband, who is revered Flood, an actress ("Peyton
by players for sacrificing Place," "Cotton Comes to
his career to advocate for Harlem") who broke down
free agency, has not been barriers for black women in
enshrined in baseball's Hall Hollywood. The couple dat-
of Fame. ed in the '60s and married
"I think the holdup is that in 1986. Flood died of throat
he got on a lot of people's cancer in 1997. He was 59.
nerves," Judy Pace Flood The significance of his con-
said. tributions is not lost on to-
Flood has some powerful day's players. Pitcher Ger-
advocates on his side. rit Cole mentioned Flood
Members of Congress sent when he signed his $324
a letter to the Hall of Fame million contract with the
on Thursday asking that New York Yankees in De-
Flood be elected in De- cember.
cember by the next golden "It's so important that play-
era committee. The rec- ers know the other sacrific-
ognition would coincide es that players made in or-
with the 50-year anniver- der to keep the integrity of
sary of Flood's defiant letter Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-Mo., left, and Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., right, stand as Judy Pace Flood the game where it is," Cole
to baseball Commissioner speaks during a news conference as they call for the late Curt Flood to be inducted into the Base- said.
Bowie Kuhn in which he ball Hall of Fame, on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020 in Washington. Players' unions from the NFL,
wrote, "I do not feel that I Associated Press NHL, NBA and MLS had rep-
am a piece of property to resentatives at Thursday's
be bought and sold irre- tional League pennants and, with the backing of Seitz in a case involving news conference, and
spective of my wishes." and two World Series titles. players' union executive pitchers Andy Messersmith 102 members of Congress
"What Curt Flood did and "What a great ballplayer," director Marvin Miller, filed and Dave McNally. The fol- signed the letter to the Hall
championed is resonat- said Sen. Roy Blunt, a Mis- a federal lawsuitin January lowing July, owners and the of Fame. Miller was elected
ing throughout profes- souri Republican. "When 1970 challenging the re- union agreed to a labor to the Hall last year by the
sional sports for the past 50 the great Stan Musial was serve clause. The Supreme contract that included free modern era committee, an
years," Rep. David Trone, a finishing up his career in Court ruled against him in agency. encouraging development
Maryland Democrat who is right field, Curt Flood would a 5-3 decision in 1972, but "I will tell people to this day: for Flood's advocates.
leading the push for Flood's play all of center and the justices agreed Flood's Curt did not lose that case," Flood's letter to Kuhn is on
enshrinement, said at a about half of right so that arguments had merit. They Pace Flood said. display in Cooperstown,
news conference. Stan the Man could still be said they could not inter- Flood's efforts essentially too.
Flood was 31 when he sent on the team." vene because it was up to ended his career. He only "He had a clearly building
that letter on Dec. 24, 1969. After the 1969 season, Congress to alter the an- played in 13 more games in Hall of Fame career cut
He had spent most of the Flood asked the Cardinals titrust exemption created the majors after his letter to short," said Donald Fehr,
past decade as the start- for a pay raise. Instead, in 1922 when the Supreme Kuhn. With 1,861 hits, a .293 the former MLBPA execu-
ing center fielder for the they traded him to the Court ruled baseball was batting average and his tive director who now leads
St. Louis Cardinals. A three- Philadelphia Phillies. Under not interstate commerce. defensive prowess, Flood the NHL players' union. "It
time All-Star, Flood won baseball's reserve clause, The union kept fighting, could have retired with Hall was cut short because he
seven consecutive Gold players were fully under the and the reserve clause was of Fame-worthy numbers said, 'Thus far and no far-
Gloves and helped lead control of their teams. struck down in December had he spent several more ther. This is wrong. It has to
the Cardinals to three Na- Flood refused the trade 1975 by arbitrator Peter seasons as a regular player. change.'"q

Swimmer Filippo Magnini's 4-year

doping ban annulled by CAS

LAUSANNE, Switzerland never to give up. I have al- determined there was "in-
(AP) — Two-time swimming ways been an athlete and sufficient evidence" in the
world champion Filippo a correct person. I tremble case.
Magnini was cleared of with joy." Magnini, who won the
doping and had his four- Italy's anti-doping agency 100-meter freestyle at
year ban annulled by the banned the retired swim- the 2005 and 2007 world
Court of Arbitration for mer in 2018, finding him championships and a relay
Sport on Thursday. guilty of using and attempt- bronze at the 2004 Olym-
"I WON. The TAS acquitted ing to use banned sub- pics, never tested positive
me from any kind of accu- stances. and maintains he never
sation," Magnini wrote in a Magnini had been linked doped.
celebratory message on to nutritionist Guido Porcel- He was an outspoken critic
Instagram. "It has always lini, who was banned for 30 of doping throughout his
In this Friday, May 25, 2012 filer, Italy's Filippo Magnini reacts been like this, I have always years for distributing illegal career, having taken part
after winning the Men's 100 meter Freestyle final at the European won races in the last few drugs. in an "I am doping free"
Swimming Championships in Debrecen, Hungary.
Associated Press meters. They taught me However, a CAS panel initiative.q