July 14, 2009

When the news of Charles O. Finley’s sale of Joe Rudi and Rollie Fingers to the Boston Red Sox and Vida Blue to the New York Yankees made it to Commissioner Bowie Kuhn’s office, it began the fight that would become one of Sports Law’s most famous cases.



Commissioner Kuhn, upon learning of Finley’s fire sale, immediately demanded that Finley meet with him in person. Kuhn then ordered that the Yankees and Red Sox not play their new additions- Blue, Rudi, and Fingers. Commissioner Kuhn believed that the sale of the three players would threaten the integrity of the game and used the Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis refrain of the “best interests of the game“. Finley countered by claiming that arbitration of player salaries along with the birth of free agency would make it impossible for him to keep his franchise competitive. Additionally, the Oakland A’s, for a three time world champion, had horrible attendance during this period. (The Oakland Coliseum, home of the A’s, was usually referred to as The Oakland Mausoleum). Finally, Finley offered that he would much rather get something for his players now, than nothing when they became free agents at the end of the season.

Kuhn would not be swayed by Finley’s argument and forced the three players back to the Oakland A’s. The sale of the three players was voided, with Kuhn using the best interests of baseball as his rationale.

Upon learning of Kuhn’s decision, Finley blasted Kuhn by calling him the “The Village Idiot”. By the way, the A’s finished the 1976 season with a record of 87-74, coming in 2 ½ games behind the Kansas City Royals in the American League West.

Looking back at this more than 33 years later, was Finley just ahead of his time? Particularly, if one applies the “Moneyball” example used during this decade by current A’s general manager Billy Beane, it almost seems that Finley was a forerunner to Beane. (Moneyball is a book written by Michael Lewis that makes Beane into a larger- than- life figure who takes an economically challenged team and makes them into a perennial contender through his shrewd baseball sense.)

Finley would not be daunted by his setback, and was ready to file suit against Kuhn.

Tomorrow: Part 3, In the Courts.