Charles Brown wrote:
> The most left expression from U.S. sports is the strikes. Of course , the monopoly media plays up the paradox that the players are paid so much, but at some level there is a message in an analogy to the boss/worker relation in the owner/player relationship. It is obvious that the owners do not add much value to the game "commodity". Why should the sports owners get so much money ?
>
> After the successful baseball ( and simultaneous hockey) strike a few years ago, the monopoly media just happened to start spreading the idea that baseball is boring. Don't think it was a coincidence.
>
> Historically, in the late 1800's there were no owners of baseball teams. It was a free association of players ("producers"). Then the sport was captured by owners who introduced the "Reserve Clause" by which players were "slaves" who could be traded. They could not sell their talents on a free market to the highest bidder. Appropriately, it was only after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, that a Black player, Curt Flood, challenged the "Reserve/slavery "clause, and won, though he never benefitted financially himself. Today's many, many double digit millionaires in all sports are the beneficiaries of Flood's abolition of the Reserve clause.
>
> Charles Brown
>
> >>> Michael Perelman <michael at ecst.csuchico.edu> 07/16/99 11:04AM >>>
> I am sorry that this gesture is not better known. We have few left sports heroes. Many come in with left sympathies, but their tax accountants generally move them to the right
> pretty fast.
>
> Dave Megassy was in my neighborhood food conspiracy, but he did not ever become a star. Reggie Jackson used to come down to KPFA, but he became a conservative. Bill Lee ran as
> the candidate for the Rhinoceros party. Tom Macmillan was a relatively liberal congressman. Bill Bradley, less so.
>
> Then we have the Jack Kemp, Vinegar Bend Mizell, Jim Bunning, Steve Largent, J.T. Watts crowd.
>
> Charles Brown wrote:
>
> > Gordie Howe gave half the profits from his autobiography to the striking Detroit newspaper workers ( still on strike/lockout after four years). What a guy ! Top that Gretsky.
>
> --
> Michael Perelman
> Economics Department
> California State University
> Chico, CA 95929
>
> Tel. 530-898-5321
> E-Mail michael at ecst.csuchico.edu
-- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929
Tel. 530-898-5321 E-Mail michael at ecst.csuchico.edu