Six years after taking over as head of the MLBPA, Marvin Miller lead the players in an effort to increase pension pay. Outside of a couple of consistent key issues (see below), there isn't a helluva lot of information out there about the 1972 strike except that it existed and it ended.
One interesting note, the Red Sox ended the season 1/2 game behind the Tigers in the AL East standings and played one less game. This being the same Red Sox organization that in 1972 had not won a World Series in 54 years (see, Bambino, Curse of the). Honestly, there is no way something like this could happen today. It's entirely unbelievable that a team failed to make the playoffs in a strike season because it played one less game than another team. I would lose my mind if that happened to my team.
Another interesting note, Ted Simmons of the St. Louis Cardinals refused to sign a contract with the team. Instead, relying upon the 1970 CBA, Simmons threatened to play the season without a contract and then have a neutral arbitrator decide his salary after the season ended. Uneasy with this proposition, St. Louis signed Simmons to a two-year deal in August of 1972 at a hefty raise. This strategy by Simmons laid the foundation for salary arbitration and later free agency.
Also, 1972 is the first, but not the last sports strike where a sitting President got involved or expressed an opinion. In between Vietnam and Watergate invasion strategies, President Nixon ordered federal mediators to settle the short-lived strike. However, the players and owners agreed to settle the issue before the mediators could end it.
How Long It Lasted:
- April 1-12, 86 games lost due to stoppage.
The Issues:
- Player pensions. Initially, the players were hesitant to strike solely based on a perceived lack of pension funding. However, after Augustus Busch, owner of the St. Louis Cardinals and procurer of tasty adult beverages declared "We're not going to give them another goddamn cent. If they want to strike--let 'em," the pension issue became more about principal rather than substance, inspiring the players to unanimously strike, despite suggestions by Marvin Miller and others not to.
- Binding salary arbitration. More to follow on this issue.
The Results:
- Owners agree to add $500K to the pension fund. Literally a drop in the bucket compared with the revenues the clubs were bringing in.
- Under the terms of the 1970 CBA, a player was allowed binding arbitration for his salary if he didn't sign the offered contract by the team. Until Ted Simmons challenges this rationale (see above), this strategy had gone untested and unused by the players.
Sources:
Treder, Steve. 1972: the year that changed everything. Nine
Copyright 2005 University of Nebraska Press. March 22, 2005. Volume 13; Issue 2
Image of Ted Simmons from: http://thebsreport.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/simbacard.jpg
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