There was only one caveat, Hunter said. The turning point in the negotiations came early yesterday afternoon when, after a conference call with the various parties involved, Edward Greenwald, one of nearly 20 owners of the Yankees, flew from his office in Cleveland to pick up Hunter and his lawyers. Be sure no one else knows, he warned. Hunter probably didnt think he was changing the world because an arbitrator ruled in his favor. well, they were breaking new ground. You talk to him once more. So Kluttz did exactly that. Closed now. Tenace spent the ensuing days humming If I Were a Rich Man around the clubhouse. The most recent challenge to the reserve clause, made by St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Curt Flood, had been denied by the U.S. Supreme Court two years before. The Red Sox, Angels, Pirates and Mets had outside chances. Matt Kelly was the communications specialist at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. He led the league in wins (23) for the second year in a row, and also led the league in innings pitched (328) and complete games (30) to finish second to Jim Palmer of the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Cy Young balloting. He also won four times without losing in the World Series. Catfish Hunter weighed 190 lbs (86 kg) when playing. Hunter signed with the Yankees on a five-year, $3.25 million contract. Many historical player head shots courtesy of David Davis. Pen has a silver clip near the top with "Regal / 39c / Carbide Ball Fine." Cherry spent the summers middle months peppering Finley with letters seeking fulfillment. He retired with appearances in six World Series and with five World Series championships. While the union of baseballs most famous team and perhaps its most famous pitcher was intriguing enough, the price tag was the true headline: A five-year deal worth about $3.2 million, along with a $1 million signing bonus. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. At first the Owner didnt respond. After Finley refused to make payment on the annuity after discovering he had to pay $25,000 in taxes which was due immediately, the breach of contract dispute was brought before an arbitration hearing on November 26, 1974. Hunters contract with the As was straightforward. On Oct. 4 the MLBPA sent a telegram to Finleys Chicago office, notifying the Owner of his default and informing him that because of the impending playoffs and World Series, the effective date of termination [of Hunters contract] shall be the day following the last game played by the Oakland Athletics in 1974., The ALCS began at the Coliseum the following day. Pay the insurance like the contract read.. View Catfish Hunter's Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos). [23] Hunter was also a competent hitter, with a career batting average of .226; in 1971 he hit .350 with 36 hits in 38 games. After a bidding war that included nearly every MLB team, the Yankees and Catfish Hunter ink a five-year/$3.75 million contract. In 2004, the Oakland Athletics began the Catfish Hunter Award. He tells the managers who to pitch and when. Many thanks to him. Pen used by Jim "Catfish" Hunter to sign a five-year contract estimated at $3.75 million with the New York Yankees on December 31, 1974. Data Provided By Hunter became a free agent after Oakland A's owner Charlie Finley was found to be in breach of contract after he refused to pay $50,000 for an insurance annuity that was part of the pitcher's. Tuesday and Wednesday in office Clover Consulting has a large client in Lansing, MI that is seeking an experienced Project Manager. Day trip or a week-long adventure. Seek out and celebrate your heroes, and explore online and in-person exhibits commemorating the history and impact of the game. Bowie Kuhn said it was like giving a life sentence to a pickpocket, and imposed a moratorium on other teams negotiating with Hunter. There was no indication what it was about. Bitter feelings from that exchange stayed with the pitcher for a long time, and informed his future actions. This, plus the acquisition of Bobby Bonds from San Francisco gives the team two of the biggest deals in its history. One was that Finley, while poring over the contract, added revisions in his own handwritinginstructions to his payroll department to earmark payments to whomever Hunter designated. The pact was consummated with a handshake, no contract necessary. Kluttz was no fan of the urban environment, but there were places on the outskirts with space to breathe. In that moment, Hunter -- one of the great pitchers of his time -- became baseballs first free agent. Hunter was to repay the money at a minimum of $20,000 per year, plus 6 percent interest, for as long as it took to get square. Win Expectancy, Run Expectancy, and Leverage Index calculations provided by Tom Tango of InsideTheBook.com, and co-author of The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball. Catfish Hunter had 2,012 strikeouts over his career. 2003-2023 Chegg Inc. All rights reserved. It didnt take long for the $1 million predictions to be blown from the water. If you have corrections or additional information about this object, please email research@baseballhall.org to help improve our records. For reasons that remain nebulous to this day, Finley failed to make a $50,000 life insurance annuity payment on behalf of Jim "Catfish" Hunter, even though it was clearly stipulated in the ace pitcher's contract. Experts are tested by Chegg as specialists in their subject area. On Feb. 11, 1974, Hunter agreed with Finley on a two-year deal at $100,000 peronly the second multiyear contract the Owner ever awarded. But before Steinbrenner had gone off to serve his suspension, hed said this to Paul: Any time you have the opportunity to get control of a player for cash, go ahead.. Object number: B-1968-0141. Jim "Catfish" Hunter, the Hall of Fame pitcher who ushered in baseball's era of big bucks for free agents, died today at age 53 after battling the disease named after another New York Yankees. Notably absent from the proceedings was George Steinbrenner, the Yankee general partner who is forbidden from participating in Yankee affairs under terms of his twoyear suspension from baseball following his conviction for illegal political contributions. Two weeks after he won his arbitration, Hunter became the highest-paid player in baseball and highest-paid pitcher in history when he signed a five-year contract with the New York Yankees worth $3.35 million. . Not long afterward, with Steinbrenner back in control of the Yankees and starting to throw money around, he signed Catfish Hunters old As teammate, Reggie Jackson, to a five-year contract with a total value of $3.5 million. The Rangers discussed a generous straight salary, plus a farm annuity, plus $30,000 a year for 15 years. The executive raged about being used as a pawn to drive up other offers, but there was little he could do. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. The following is excerpted fromDynastic, Bombastic, Fantastic: Reggie, Rollie, Catfish, and Charlie Finleys Swingin As. This material is made available for private study, scholarship, and research use. So the Yankees beat out the Pirates, Dodgers, Padres, Royals, Expos and Cleveland for Hunters services. (Age 33-162d) I told him, I don't want it that way. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. I didn't realize the implications.. According to Paul, the Yankees signed Hunter last night rather than wait until 1975 on the advice of Greenwald, their tax lawyer. April 8, 1946 Two weeks after he won his arbitration, Hunter became the highest-paid player in baseball and highest-paid pitcher in history when he signed a five-year contract with the New York Yankees worth $3.35 million. Catfish had won 106 games over the previous five years and had just been voted the American Leagues best pitcher and was still only 28 years old. There was no questioning, however, that Catfish meant every word he said. Bob Dylan wrote the song "Catfish" in 1975. Starting with Catfish Hunter's landmark contract for the 1975 season, let's go back and find the pitchers who set the marks for highest total value contract. The money Hunter made when he signed that night at the Yankees old offices in the Parks Administration Building (in Flushing, Queens, of all places) seems quaint in comparison to the money modern free agents now make. Ring out the old. Second, so what if you're in the orchestra? What about the five grand he gave him for pitching a perfect game, or the cost of a new Cadillac for winning 21 in 1971? As a fellow North Carolinian, hed endeared himself to the Hunter family, earning extra points shortly after Hunter first signed when Finley tried to backtrack and get the teenager to agree to a second contractdated 1965 instead of 1964that would have allowed him to be sent to the minors without penalty owing to the expiration of the bonus baby rule. In the last World Series, he said, I had a card in my locker that said, Winning isn't everything, but wanting to is. I always want to win.. [8] Twenty days later on December 16, arbitrator Peter Seitz decided in favor of Hunter, officially making him a free agent. In 1974, baseball was still operating under the reserve clause, which stipulated that a team retained complete control of a player unless he was given his unconditional release. When the A's failed to hold to a contract-mandated insurance payment, Catfish became the league's first free agent, and joined the New York Yankees for the remainder of his career (1974-9.) To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. That was moment that George Steinbrenner became relevant to baseballs landscape, and that Charles O. Finley became an afterthought. And the map shows spots in Michigan, where fishermen caught Flathead catfish. Hunter played linebacker and offensive tackle in football as well as shortstop, cleanup batter, and pitcher in baseball. Never complained or made excuses - just an under-rated big time pitcher. "[42] Former teammate Lou Piniella said, "Catfish was a very unique guy. By the end of the 1974 season, Jim "Catfish" Hunter was the ace on baseball's best team. When Hunter claimed to become a free agent after the season, he had little idea whether it would actually come to pass. - B-NY76-B (Doug McWilliams / National Baseball Hall of Fame Library), One thing worried me, Miller later reflected. Put it into a life insurance annuity, he said, which could be cashed in for additional income once Hunters baseball career ended. He was a man of loyalty. All rights reserved. Seitz took 20 days to announce his decision, and when he did it was groundbreaking. When we started winning in Oakland, Cat was the father of those teams, Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson said. This was the pitcher who was the object of the affections and treasuries of teams that sent a constant stream of representatives to the tiny town of Hertford where Hunter has lived all of his life and the tiny town of Ahoskie where the law firm of Cherry, Cherry and Flythe has its offices. Please note that not all works are on view at all times - their availability is subject to change per the discretion of the Museum staff. If he wasnt the Hunter of old, he was close enough. I tried not to think the worst of him, but it was impossible.. By the time they reached New York it was 10 pages long and barely legible, owing to a bumpy trip. 1968 May 08. All proceeds from the weekend benefit ALS research. inHertford,NC, Buried: While football, basketball and hockey have been subjected to costly bidding wars in the last 15 years because of the birth of competing leagues, baseball has never had that problem. Some defensive statistics Copyright Sports Info Solutions, 2010-2023. Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1987. You know Jim and he knows you. Jim "Catfish" Hunter helped the Yankees to three American League pennants and two World Series titles after leaving the Athletics following the 1974 season. from the SABR BioProject, More Catfish Hunter Pages at Baseball Reference. He was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in his early 50s, and died of the disease about a year after his diagnosis. Andruw Jones Hall of Fame Classic Home Run Derby Autographed bat, Bob Feller Signing Contract with Hank Greenberg photograph, Babe Ruth and Jacob Ruppert at Contract Signing photograph, Philadelphia Phillies versus San Diego Padres scorecard, Chicago Cubs versus New York Yankees scorecard. That was the day that Jim "Catfish" Hunter left the Oakland A's after an arbitrator named Peter Seitz ruled that the A's had violated Hunter's contract by not paying him money he was owed. Hadnt he stuck with him through his hunting accident? Seitz was a perceptive, acute man. You were the first to teach us how to win.. After the designated hitter was adopted by the American League in 1973, Hunter had only two plate appearances in his final seven seasons, with one base hit in 1973. The total. They drove up to a little landing strip in Suffolk, Va., and we landed in New York at 5:30. After a dispute over a technicality in his contract with Oakland A's owner, Charles O. Finley, Hunter had become the first free agent in baseball's modern era. What position did Catfish Hunter play? In 1966 and 1967, he was named to the American League All-Star team. background-color:#ba3434; Andruw Jones Hall of Fame Classic Home Run Derby Autographed bat, Bob Feller Signing Contract with Hank Greenberg photograph, Babe Ruth and Jacob Ruppert at Contract Signing photograph, Philadelphia Phillies versus San Diego Padres scorecard, Chicago Cubs versus New York Yankees scorecard. Furthermore, he was joining an organization that was hungry to regain its former glory. . He lost 12 games and had a 2,49 earnedrun average. When Hunter approached him with a solution to both their problemsa long-term contract at $200,000 per season, with a $200,000 bonusFinley rejected him outright and did not counter. This time they're confident Finley won't beat them, but, Paul added, The courts take precedence over everything. But a free agent of Hunter's experience and status was unheard of. Couldnt be worse than Finley, Kluttz reasoned, plus hes just as serious about winning. . The catfish fish (under the chicken) was fried to perfection and seasoned well. If you come to San Diego, he barked into the telephone, you can write your own check., Bavasi was informed that at that very moment Hunter was heading out the back door, to the airport and New York City. Jackson kept winning in New York the way he and Hunter -- whom Jackson once described as the boss of the old As -- had won those three World Series titles in Oakland. The display swayed MacPhail, who later said, The Oakland club offered everything to which [Hunter] is entitled. Hunter got off to a rough start going 03 in his first three starts, but settled down and was named to his seventh All-Star team. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. [39] His number 27 was retired by the Oakland Athletics in a pre-game ceremony on June 9, 1991, the first in the franchise's 90 year history.[38][40]. He had just completed a stellar season, capturing the Cy Young Award after leading the American League in wins (25) and earned run average (2.49) and powering the Oakland Athletics to their third consecutive World Series title. As soon as the season ended Hunter raced home to arrange for a second loan to cover the first, but gave up when a boundary-line dispute delayed the proceedings. The race was on. Show your love of the game and play a part in preserving past and ensuring the future of the Baseball Hall of Fame. This was standard language found in every uniform player contract, placed there 40 years earlier by the owners themselves to provide a reasonable buffer against default claims. All rights reserved. Dont sign nothing else, Kluttz advised. I cannot believe that Catfish would do this to me, he said. So was Catfish Hunter.". Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. "We don't belong to anybody", he told his wife.[2]. After a dispute over a technicality in his contract with Oakland A's owner, Charles O. Finley, Hunter had become the first free agent in baseball's modern era. Hunter retired at age 33 following the 1979 season, after developing persistent arm problems, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987. For the first time since the 1870s, a major league player was free to offer his services to the highest bidder. It was Catfish who, after being declared a free agent by an arbitrator in December 1974, was made baseball's highest-paid player by the New York Yankees. but the Kansas City Athletics signed Catfish Hunter to a contract. . Turbow, Jason. Telling the pitcher to lay low until the end of the season, the agent said that hed visit Cherry in North Carolina over the winter to work out details. Blue plastic ballpoint pen and cap. Discover one-of-a-kind artifacts and get lost in sweeping exhibitions that explore pivotal moments in the game and its impact far beyond the field. In the Dodger Stadium press box, the agent laid it all out for the assembled media, adding that Hunter was not talking because his focus was on the World Series. I didn't have a job. Before long the Owner denied having agreed to anything, claiming he never saw the wording appended by Cherry. Recouping his loan to Hunter was among the Owners quickest paths to solvency. It was clear he was not buying Finley's story, when Charlie said he knew nothing about this and claimed he did not understand the deferred payments..
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