x5ms2 @x5ms2.bsky.social · 17/09/2026piloted 1945 Tigers to WS championship 1946 International News Card tied for 10th in mWAR: 2.9 wins added per 162 games journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/... 120
x5ms2 @x5ms2.bsky.social · 16/09/2026#otd 1960 39-yo Spahn hurls no-hitter, striking out 15. afterwards runs marathon in 2:12:05 000
x5ms2 @x5ms2.bsky.social · 10/09/2026If Gillette had sponsored cards in 50s, Yogi would have been clean shaven 000
x5ms2 @x5ms2.bsky.social · 07/09/2026MLBPA killed the reserve clause in '77 in toto when an arbiter ruled that Dave McNally & Andy Messersmith became free agents by playing for a season without new contracts. MLBPA had for several seasons unsuccessfully tried to recruit test-case players, including Ted Simmons 11/11 000
x5ms2 @x5ms2.bsky.social · 07/09/2026Catfish Hunter was the 1st free-agent when MLBPA successfully won his arbitration case against Charley Finley for violating Hunter's 1974 contract. In '75, Hunter signed with the Yankees for $3.5 M—an order of magnitude more than the biggest contract before then. 10/11 100
x5ms2 @x5ms2.bsky.social · 07/09/2026Richard Nixon weirdly figures in MLBPA history. Roberts favored Nixon for MLBPA counsel in '66; Nixon was too busy. The MLBPA proposed President Nixon appoint an arbitration panel to avert the '73 strike. & in '82 some players even favored the former Pres to succeed Miller. 9/11 100
x5ms2 @x5ms2.bsky.social · 07/09/2026The '72 strike was triggered when owners tried to claw back funding for the player pension. Miller feared a strike woul d fail and was prepared to recommend caving. But A's rep Reggie Jackson made an impassioned appeal to resist, rallying the players to approve a walkout. 8/11 100
x5ms2 @x5ms2.bsky.social · 07/09/2026Everyone knows about Curt Flood's fight against the reserve clause. It turns out, though, that Flood's efforts weren't in co mplete synch with the MLBPA strategy, which eschewed court challenges as futile based on precedent. Nevertheless, the union paid Flood's legal costs. 7/11 100
x5ms2 @x5ms2.bsky.social · 07/09/2026Joe Torre was an active player rep. for Braves. Like many reps, he was punished by being traded. Others included Bunning, Milt Pappas, and Gaylord Perry. Ironically, the Dodgers released Wes Parker, the lone rep to vote against the '73 strike. Parker retired in disgust.6/11 100
x5ms2 @x5ms2.bsky.social · 07/09/2026The first MLBPA-MLB collective bargaining agreement ('68) secured, among other things, the right to continued salary during National Guard stints. Mickey Lolich was called up during Detroit's '67 race riots, when clubs routinely docked reservists & Guard members' pay 5/11 110
x5ms2 @x5ms2.bsky.social · 07/09/2026Coca-cola bottle caps ('67) were the first product licensed by the MLBPA. The caps (sans team logos, blocked by owners) were part of an MLBPA campaign to pressure Topps for more favorable terms, as were the introduc tion of Kellogg's 3d cards . Proceeds funded the union. 4/11 100
x5ms2 @x5ms2.bsky.social · 07/09/2026Jim Bunning was on that committee too and served as an outspoken player rep during the early yrs of the MLBPA. Ironically, Bunning would later back legislation that restricted workers rights during a subsequent (largely undistinguished) career in the U.S. Senate. 3/11 100
x5ms2 @x5ms2.bsky.social · 07/09/2026Robin Roberts was Miller's biggest backer on player selection committee. Among other contenders for the position was Bob Feller, a strong player advocate in 50s, and Hank Greenberg, former Indians GM, who later testified as a pro-plaintiff expert in the Kurt Flood case.2/11 100
x5ms2 @x5ms2.bsky.social · 07/09/2026Why not commemorate Labor Day with some history of one of the most successful unions ever: the MLBPA! Marvin Miller, Exec Dir from 1966-82, is the hub. But let's explore some of the spokes . . . . 1/11 100
x5ms2 @x5ms2.bsky.social · 18/08/2026post 1900 AL/NL 400 Club (Shoeless Joe sliding in middle panel of the t202 Hassan) 001
x5ms2 @x5ms2.bsky.social · 15/08/2026#otd 1916 Babe Ruth outduels Walter Johnson 1-0. Big Train challenges Ruth to make it "2 out of 3" and teams immediately retake the field 010
