| Andy Messersmith | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pitcher | ||
| Born: August 6, 1945 | ||
| Batted: Right | Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | ||
| July 4, 1968 for the California Angels |
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| Final game | ||
| June 1, 1979 for the Los Angeles Dodgers |
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| Career statistics | ||
| Record | 130-99 | |
| ERA | 2. In Baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the Pitcher's mound toward the Catcher to begin each play with the goal of Events 1538 - Bogotá, Colombia, is founded by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Events 836 - Pactum Sicardi, peace between the Principality of Benevento and the Duchy of Naples Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California. Events 193 - Roman Emperor Didius Julianus is Assassinated 987 - Hugh Capet is elected Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball team based in Los Angeles California, USA In Baseball statistics, earned run average ( ERA) is the Mean of Earned runs given up by a Pitcher per nine Innings pitched 86 | |
| Strikeouts | 1625 | |
| Teams | ||
| Career highlights and awards | ||
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John Alexander "Andy" Messersmith (born August 6, 1945 in Toms River, New Jersey) is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher from 1968 until 1979. Events 1538 - Bogotá, Colombia, is founded by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar The Township of Toms River is a large township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States, and the In Baseball or Softball, a starting pitcher, often abbreviated as starter, is the Pitcher who pitches the first pitch to the first batter of The Year of the Pitcher In Major League Baseball, the trend throughout the 1960s was of increased pitching dominance caused by enforcing a larger strike zone (top of armpit Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Pittsburgh Pirates over Baltimore Orioles (4-3 Willie Stargell, He was the 12th overall pick of the 1966 amateur draft by the California Angels. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California. Messersmith went on to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves and the New York Yankees. The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball team based in Los Angeles California, USA The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of The Bronx, in New York City, New York.
Messersmith is most famous for his role in the historic 1975 Seitz decision which led to the downfall of Major League Baseball's reserve clause and ushered in the current era of free agency. Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Cincinnati Reds over Boston Red Sox (4-3 Pete Rose, MVP The Seitz decision was a ruling by arbitrator Peter Seitz on December 23 1975 which declared that Major League Baseball players became The reserve clause is a term formerly employed in North American professional Sports Contracts The reserve clause, contained in all standard player It began when Messersmith went to spring training in 1975 and began negotiating his 1975 contract. He asked for a no-trade clause which the Dodgers refused. According to author John Helyar, in The Lords of the Realm, Messersmith was also deeply offended by general manager Al Campanis "inject(ing) a personal issue" into the talks (it "cut so deeply with him," Helyar has written, that Messersmith since has never been able to bring himself to disclose or discuss it), and the pitcher refused to deal with anyone lower than team president Peter O'Malley. Alexander Sebastian Campanis ( November 2, 1916 - June 21, 1998) was an American executive in Major League Baseball. This article is about Peter O'Malley the baseball executive for the Australian golfer see Peter O'Malley (golfer Peter O'Malley (born in
He also pitched 1975 without a contract, leading the National League in complete games and shutouts and finishing second in earned run average with 2. In Baseball statistics, earned run average ( ERA) is the Mean of Earned runs given up by a Pitcher per nine Innings pitched 29, not to mention winning a Gold Glove (his second) as the league's best-fielding pitcher. For the award given to amateur boxers see Golden Gloves. In American Baseball, the Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to Messersmith and Dave McNally were the only two players in 1975 playing on the one year reserve clause in effect at the time, technically; McNally's season ended early due to injuries and he returned home, intending to retire, but agreeing to players' union director Marvin Miller's request that he sign onto the Messersmith grievance in case Messersmith ended up signing a new deal with the Dodgers before the season ended. David Arthur "Dave" McNally ( October 31 1942 &ndash December 1 2002) was a Major League Baseball left-handed Starting Marvin Julian Miller (born April 14 1917) is the former executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA from 1966
"It was less of an economic issue at the time than a fight for the right to have control over your own destiny," Messersmith told The Sporting News, looking back on his decision a decade later. Sporting News (previously The Sporting News, and known colloquially as TSN) is an American -based Sports "It was a matter of being tired of going in to negotiate a contract and hearing the owners say, 'OK, here's what you're getting. Tough luck'. "
Messersmith and McNally won their case before arbitrator Peter Seitz, who was fired by the owners the day afterward. McNally followed through on his intention to retire but Messersmith signed a three-year, $1 million deal with the Atlanta Braves. Among other things, then-Braves owner Ted Turner suggested the nickname "Channel" for Messersmith and jersey number 17, in order to promote the television station that aired Braves games. Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III (born November 19, 1938) is an American Media proprietor and philanthropist. Major League Baseball quickly nixed the idea.
Messersmith struggled trying to live up to his new contract and was sold to the New York Yankees after the 1977 season, having gone 16-15 in two seasons with the Braves, the second marred by injuries. The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of The Bronx, in New York City, New York. He had further injury trouble with the Yankees---and ran into disaster with injuries. The Yankees released him after the 1978 season and he signed, ironically, with the Dodgers. Ironically again, when the Dodgers signed him for that final go-round, they gave him the very thing their first refusal drove him toward testing and defeating the old reserve system: a no-trade clause. But the injuries and stress as the reserve clause's conqueror had taken too much toll; Messersmith pitched in only 11 games for the 1979 Dodgers, going 2-4 with a 4. 90 ERA, and retired after the Dodgers released him.
Contents |
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
- ESPN - retrospective
See also
References
- John Helyar, The Lords of the Realm: The Real History of Baseball. The following is a list of Major League Baseball wins champions. (New York: Villard/Random House, 1994. )
Quotes
- I did it for the guys sitting on the bench, the utility men who couldn't crack the lineup with (the Dodgers) but who could make it elsewhere. These guys should have an opportunity to make a move and go to another club. I didn't do it necessarily for myself because I'm making a lot of money. I don't want everyone to think, 'Well, here's a guy in involuntary servitude at $115,000 a year. That's a lot of bull and I know it. ---Andy Messersmith, after the Seitz ruling, as cited by Helyar.
- Curt Flood stood up for us; Jim Hunter showed us what was out there; Andy Messersmith showed us the way. Curtis Charles Flood ( January 18 1938 &ndash January 20 1997) was a Major League Baseball player who spent most of his career as James Augustus "Catfish" Hunter ( April 8, 1946 – September 9, 1999) was a Major League Baseball right-handed Starting Andy made it happen for us all. It's what showed a new life. ---Ted Simmons, a major league catcher at the time of the Messersmith-McNally case. Ted Lyle Simmons (born August 9, 1949, in Highland Park Michigan) is a retired American Catcher in Major League Baseball who played
- I wasn't prepared for the pressure that came down [after the Seitz ruling and his Braves deal]. I didn't know anything about it. I came out as the dirty dog. That was a real hard thing for me. I just wasn't ready for it. ---Andy Messersmith, to the New York Times, after his career ended.
| Preceded by Ron Bryant |
National League Wins Champion 1974 (with Phil Niekro) |
Succeeded by Tom Seaver |
| Preceded by Bob Gibson |
National League Gold Glove Award (P) 1974, 1975 |
Succeeded by Jim Kaat |
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