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Major League Baseball inducted four new members to its Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, on July 21.
Jim Leyland, who managed 3,499 games in the Major Leagues, after many years of paying his dues in the minor leagues, compiled a 1,769 win/1728 loss record (win-loss percentage .506) with one World Series title (Miami Marlins,1997). His acceptance speech was powerful, especially his closing remarks. There were also strong speeches from longtime Minnesota catcher/first baseman Joe Mauer, longtime Colorado Rockies first baseman Todd Helton and third baseman-extraordinaire Adrian Beltre. Mauer compiled a .306 lifetime batting average, 923 runs batted in, a Most Valuable Player Award, multiple batting titles, five Silver Slugger Awards, three Gold Gloves, and six All-Star appearances.
Helton has a .316 lifetime batting average, 369 home runs, 1406 runs batted in, 1401 runs scored, three Gold Gloves, five All-Star appearances. And Beltre has a .286 lifetime batting average, 3,166 career hits, 477 home runs, 1,707 runs batted in, 1,524 runs scored, five Gold Gloves, four All-Star games.
Beltre had to suffer the indignity of Hall of Famer David Ortiz rubbing his head during his acceptance speech. Beltre has stated throughout his playing career that he hated anyone, including his parents, rubbing his head. “I always felt it was a sign of disrespect. It has caused me a lot of pain trying to explain this to ignorant teammates and other ball players,” he said.
This reporter must say shame on you, David Ortiz, to pull a classless stunt like this on the greatest day of Adrian Beltre’s baseball life. You know how the man feels about the gesture and yet you did it anyway. You lowered yourself by bringing a sour moment to an historic event. Maybe you can relate to this scenario: What if someone has interrupted your Hall of Fame speech by pulling out a toy cap gun and fired it at you? I am certain that you would have “gone off.” And just in case you don’t realize that rubbing a Black man’s head is what white slave masters used to do, think about that Big Poppy, and then write a letter of apology to Mr. Adrian Beltre. You owe him that much.
Remembering Curt Flood
And finally, every time I cover a Baseball Hall of Fame Ceremony, the spirit of one Curt Charles Flood resonates in my brain. I grew up watching him man centerfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals championship teams of 1964 and 1967. Flood, with a lifetime batting average of .293 was a seven-time Gold Glove winner for his fielding excellence. But he is best remembered for his courageous stand against ‘the powers’ of baseball by challenging the infamous reserve clause which gave baseball owners power to dictate the careers of baseball players. Flood challenged the reserve clause, got his case heard in the United States Supreme Court and won by a 5-4 ruling. His case would pave the way for free agency, which allows baseball players freedom of movement and the right to make the humungous salaries they make today.
Curt Flood passed from this life on January 20, 1997, from throat cancer. He died a heartbroken man. He gave up his life’s work, along with his entire fortune from baseball and as an artist for what he believed in, and history proved him correct!
In 1998, Major League Baseball established the Curt Flood Award, given annually to a Major League Baseball Player who exemplifies Flood’s courage, tenacity and devotion to the game. It is clearly not enough for a man who gave up everything for what he knew was right!
