The Curt Flood Story: The Man Behind the Myth (Sports and American Culture Series) (Volume 1)

Curt Flood, former star center fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals, is a hero to many for selflessly sacrificing his career to challenge baseball s reserve system. Sportswriters and fans have helped to paint a picture of Flood as a larger-than-life figure, a portrait that, unhappily, cannot stand closer inspection. This book reveals the real Flood more man than myth. Drawing on previously untapped sources, Weiss explains how Flood s battle against the reserve system cannot be understood in isolation from the personal experiences that precipitated it, such as his youth in a dysfunctional home, his unwavering commitment to the Cardinals, and his alcoholism. It shows that Flood was neither a hero nor a martyr but a victim of unique circumstances and his own life.