50 Years Ago, For The First Time, MLB Players Went On Strike
Today, as we celebrate the nearing of a delayed Opening Day, we remember when, half a century ago, MLB players went on strike and Opening Day was delayed for the first time.
IBWAA members love to write about baseball. So much so, we've decided to create our own newsletter about it! Subscribe to Here's the Pitch to expand your love of baseball, discover new voices, and support independent writing. Original content six days a week, straight to your inbox and straight from the hearts of baseball fans.
Pregame Pepper
Did you know…
. . . In 1972, the Major League Baseball minimum salary was $13,500, and the average MLB salary was $34,092. As agreed upon in the new collective bargaining agreement 50 years later, the new Major League minimum salary is starting at $700,000 in 2022, and the average MLB salary in 2021 was $4.17 million. In 1972, the highest-paid MLB player was Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox, who made $167,000 that season. In 2022, the highest-paid player in baseball is Max Scherzer of the New York Mets, who is slated to make a little over $43 million.
. . . 1972 was the last Major League season before the designated hitter was instituted in the American League. That year, among AL pitchers with at least 50 plate appearances, Sonny Siebert of the Red Sox led all AL hurlers with a .236 average and a .304 OBP. Five AL pitchers hit two home runs that season: Clyde Wright of the California Angels, Dave McNally and Mike Cuellar of the Baltimore Orioles, Blue Moon Odom of the Oakland A’s, and Marty Pattin of the Red Sox.
Leading Off
50 Years Of Labor Disputes
By Benjamin Chase
In 1972, Major League Baseball players held a strike that meant losing regular-season games for the first time in the history of the sport.
The season led to playoff races that were decided by the lost games. The Detroit Tigers beat the Boston Red Sox for the American League East crown by a half-game because the Tigers played, and won, one more game in an unbalanced season that came out of the strike.
The Tigers were among a number of teams that were at the top range in games played in 1972, with 156 games played. On the bottom end were the Houston Astros and San Diego Padres, who both played 153.
The unbalanced schedule didn't affect individual stats as much, as Johnny Bench led the Majors with 40 home runs with the Cincinnati Reds playing 154 games, Lou Brock led the league with 63 stolen bases in 156 games, but no one was within five steals of his mark, and Nolan Ryan struck out 329 hitters with the California Angels playing 155 games, leading the league by 19 K’s over Steve Carlton, whose team played 156 games.
What Were They Fighting For?
The 1972 strike was initially over arbitration and pension concerns for players.
Arbitration was added to the collective bargaining agreement as part of the resolution of the work stoppage as well as an increase in the pension fund payments.
Incredibly, arbitration disputes were still at the forefront of the most recent labor disputes between the league and the players.
The Disputes Since
Labor disputes have led to work stoppages now eight more times since the 1972 strike. Owners locked out players in Spring Training of 1973 and 1976, and players went on strike in 1980, 1981, and 1985.
The owners locked out players again in 1990 before the coup de grâce of the 1994-1995 strike that saw the loss of the World Series for the first time. After the horrific press generated by the 1994-1995 strike, labor "peace" has reigned supreme until this winter's lockout.
The Forest For The Trees
One thing that both 1972 and 2022 work stoppages were seemingly willing to ignore in order to make the point of the dispute at hand was that both years were major anniversary seasons for Jackie Robinson's first season in the Major Leagues.
The 1972 season began on April 15, the 25th anniversary of Jackie's first game for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Incredibly, from the cursory research I did, not one team did anything in recognition of the anniversary in 1972 on that day.
The 2022 season will celebrate 75 years since Jackie's breakthrough on April 15, but more than that, it's the 50th anniversary of the loss of both Jackie and Roberto Clemente, two significant pioneers in the sport, who both passed away in 1972.
Missing the chance to honor these greats would be a more significant loss than any bargaining position for players or owners.
Still Waiting
While owners chipped away at players who were hoping to avoid bad press for over 25 years after 1994, the most recent negotiations were the first that could be seen as having some movement toward players. Labor negotiators would say that you don't get the whole elephant in one negotiation -- you get the elephant one bite at a time over multiple negotiations. Players have finally begun to implement that strategy.
The work to help younger players in the game hasn't fully trickled into those who are most in need of advocacy from the players' union, those who are not in the union yet -- Minor League players. Multiple court cases are beginning to be decided in favor of Minor League players, but the next step for the players would be to take a bite of the elephant that aided those players that will someday make up the union, knowing that a healthier young player base makes for a healthier union overall and a better game on the field that will increase fan interest.
Benjamin Chase is a newspaper reporter in small-town South Dakota that has been a writer and editor for many baseball sites over the years. He enjoys following all baseball, but especially prospects and the Minor Leagues. His Twitter handle is @biggentleben.