Flood watch over in D.C.

Curt Flood stands in Washington’s dugout with manager Ted Williams

Two days after drawing a walk in his final plate appearance in the major leagues, the controversial and game-changing Curt Flood leaves behind the Washington Senators – and, for that matter, the United States – and bolts for Denmark 53 years ago today.

Flood has been trying to make a comeback with Washington in 1971 after sitting out the previous season in protest of being traded against his will from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Turns out Flood’s case becomes the springboard for free agency in baseball.

His story should be required reading for today's players, most of whom probably never have heard of Flood – let alone understand the All-Star career Flood sacrifices to achieve the free agency he seeks but never receives.

“(Flood’s) challenging the reserve clause was essential to the blossoming sport we have today,” free-agent pitcher Gerrit Cole says in 2019 after signing a nine-year, $324 million contract with the New York Yankees.

“I just think it’s so important that players know the other sacrifices that players made in order to keep the integrity of the game where it is, and so I hope everybody has that conversation about Curt Flood.”