McNally retired after the decision and Messersmith signed with the Dodgers. McNally was traded by Baltimore after the 1974 season. Messersmith had pitched for the Braves.
Neither man benefited much from free agency but they did challenge the rule and won in the courts.
The real free agent class came after the 1976 season, when Reggie Jackson, Joe Rudi, Don Baylor and others negotiated their own contracts.
It was a big day for the players and vindication for Curt Flood who sat out an entire season in protest of the reserve clause.
P.S. Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
