Money
Be Poignant! Reference Boxing Part I
By Stephen Turk
What we see here is one of the greatest works of art ever created. As far as sports related paintings, this one can’t be touched. It shows the 1923 match up between Jack Dempsey and Luis Firpo. Dempsey, the reigning champ is the one careening out of the ring.
There would be some controversy with the count, as it is believed Dempsey didn’t make it back in by the requist ten count, but he would later go on to knockout Firpo in the second round. And so ended one of the most celebrated boxing matches ever. › Continue reading
Fun with Money: Part II
By Stephen Turk
Curt Flood reintroduced the argument for free-agency to baseball, but was ultimately denied. Two years later, in 1974, Catfish Hunter would become the first free-agent due to a unique situation and a contract dispute. Hunter was prolific with the Oakland A’s, but owner Charlie Finley failed to make a payment. Hunter’s contract was deemed void and with no reserve clause to keep him, he was the first major league ball player on the open market, free to go wherever he pleased.
A bidding war ensued, reaching offers as high as five years, $4.5 million. Hunter took a deal with the Yankees, five years at $3.5 million with incentives. The nightmare scenario that Bouton talked about in Ball Four had happened, players knew how much they were worth. If a great pitcher could get that money, then other great pitchers should be getting it. And if that was the case then great position players and hitters should make comparable amounts, if not more for their everyday play. And if that was to be the going rate for great players, then certainly the pay gap between great players and good players should be smaller. But perhaps the greatest new feature going on here was the fact that this was a multi-year deal. That meant guaranteed money, that meant stability and wealth that ball players had never experienced and were quick to welcome. › Continue reading
Fun with Money: Part I
As a fan, I have no problem extolling the importance of the fan in sports. It is the most important role. The fan is the heralder, the bookkeeper, the archivist, and the backbone to the whole system. But in today’s world of sports, with huge contracts, expensive tickets and merchandise, and greed all around, there is much talk about the average fan being priced out of their pastime.
So let’s look at the institution of free-agency in baseball, arguably a big piece of the inflating contracts bubble. › Continue reading
A Unique Pairing: Part I
By Stephen Turk
I recently picked up Remember the AFL by Dave Steidel, and I haveto say it’s pretty fascinating. The idea that an upstart league could not only survive in the same waters as the powerhouse, but take only six years to force a merger, is something that’s as impressive to me as it is foreign. I’ve seen expansions in the major sports, but I’ve never seen a merger.
But yet, what is wholly unimaginable to me happened in 1966 with the AFL and NFL merged. To put it in perspective, that would
be like if the NFL joined up with the ill-fated XFL, something which certainly did not happen. In fact, I don’t believe that a merger like the one between the NFL and AFL could ever happen again; the circumstances were just too singular. › Continue reading