There was only one caveat, Hunter said. Catfish Hunter had 2,012 strikeouts over his career. Remembering Yankees great Catfish Hunter, the somewhat-forgotten ALS If it was not valid, that meant Catfish had been pitching contract-free, which would make him a free agent. In the movie Grumpier Old Men, an enormous and highly prized fish is named "Catfish Hunter" by the locals. On February 11, 1974, Hunter agreed with the A's on a two-year, $200,000 contract with a clause stipulating that $50,000 payments be made to a life insurance annuity of his choosing in each of the two seasons. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Friday, March 3, 1:04PM. The following is excerpted fromDynastic, Bombastic, Fantastic: Reggie, Rollie, Catfish, and Charlie Finleys Swingin As. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Put it into a life insurance annuity, he said, which could be cashed in for additional income once Hunters baseball career ended. Hunter's statistics while he was with the Athletics were impressive: four consecutive years with at least 20 wins, and four World Series wins without a loss. A history of the Sports Reference Sponsorship System. Select from premium Catfish Hunter of the highest quality. And the map shows spots in Michigan, where fishermen caught Flathead catfish. Pen has a silver clip near the top with "Regal / 39c / Carbide Ball Fine." Furthermore, he was joining an organization that was hungry to regain its former glory. Hunter, Catfish | Baseball Hall of Fame For the duration of the flight, Greenwald, yellow legal pad in hand, drafted an addendum to the standard players contract, conferring with Hunters team every step of the way. Total Zone Rating and initial framework for Wins above Replacement calculations provided by Sean Smith. when his unfortunate suspension was invoked, Paul said of Steinbrenner, he told men, any time you have an opportunity to buy the contract of a player for cash, I want you to go ahead whenever, in your judgment, it would be advantageous to the Yankees.. There was no questioning, however, that Catfish meant every word he said. The difference with Hunters stipulation was that the Owner wouldnt have the money at allthe annuity would. This time they're confident Finley won't beat them, but, Paul added, The courts take precedence over everything. As expected, Kuhn declared such a penalty to be too severe. More precisely, there were to be semi-monthly contributions in Hunter's name to the Jefferson Insurance Company with the first payment on April 16 and the final payment on September 30. Youll be dead. It was not a good joke, and it continued to sour Hunter even after the Royals added $30,000 per year for the rest of Helen Hunters life as well. I bought the sports jacket I'm wearing now and left by jet at about 2 o'clock. Catfish Hunter - Baseball-Reference When you play with guys like that, you feel blessed."[42]. James Augustus "Catfish" Hunter played for championship teams in both Oakland and New York, finding success wherever he went. 1) We are making 4166.67 for 12 installments bimonthly and our investment is growing @6%. Hunter came back to the Yankees that July, when they were still 13 games behind the Red Sox in the American League East. He was tired of the hour-long drive into Ahoskie, not to mention that the baseball season ended two months earlier and he hadnt so much as dusted off his hunting rifle. Two weeks after he won his arbitration, Hunter became the highest-paid player in baseball and highest-paid pitcher in history when he signed a five-year contract with the New York Yankees worth $3.35 million. [22] He also became only the fourth (and last) American League pitcher to win 20 games in a season for five consecutive seasons (19711975). The decision, which Finley is contesting in court, created a unique situation in baseball history. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Finley.[5]. We need to calculate the future value of this. [2][9][10] Hunter recalled being scared after he was declared a free agent. Upon seeing how poorly his five-year, $1.5 million proposal stacked up, Yankees president Gabe Paul conceded defeat and made the two-and-a-half-hour road trip to Raleigh for his return flight to New York. "[42] Former teammate Lou Piniella said, "Catfish was a very unique guy. That was drastic. In January 1970 Oakland As owner Charlie Finley loaned 23-year-old pitcher Jim Catfish Hunter $150,000 to buy a 485-acre farm adjacent to his existing property in North Carolina. Catfish Hunter's New Year's Eve signing changed baseball Many historical player head shots courtesy of David Davis. Finley attempted to have the arbitration ruling overturned,[17] but was unsuccessful after several appeals. Dec. 31, 1974: Catfish. When Finley rebuffed, Marvin Miller, head of the Major League Baseball Players Association, seized the opportunity. When we started winning in Oakland, Cat was the father of those teams, Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson said. Show your love of the game and play a part in preserving past and ensuring the future of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Do you have a sports website? Born: 8-Apr-1946 Birthplace: Hertford, NC Died: 9-Sep-1999 Location of . They might not rank with the trade for a Babe Ruth, but they'll do for their present needs. When Hunter approached him with a solution to both their problemsa long-term contract at $200,000 per season, with a $200,000 bonusFinley rejected him outright and did not counter. [4] At the time, Hall of Fame officials would always defer to the player's wishes in determining which team would be memorialized on his Hall of Fame Plaque. Seitz took 20 days to announce his decision, and when he did it was groundbreaking. Finley, he said, you pay it the way the contract reads, and everything will be just fine. Finley launched into histrionics, crying to MacPhail, What can I do? Before long the Owner denied having agreed to anything, claiming he never saw the wording appended by Cherry. After that, teams got creative. Audio Record for Costas Coast to Coast Radio Program: 1987 Hall of Fame Induction Day recording P_BL-2020-00146-005.mp3 Hunter told hima five-year deal with 15 years of deferred money at $100,000 per season, plus college funds for his kids and a variety of perks to be determined. Jim "Catfish" Hunter helped the Yankees to three American League pennants and two World Series titles after leaving the Athletics following the 1974 season. Starting with Catfish Hunter's landmark contract for the 1975 season, let's go back and find the pitchers who set the marks for highest total value contract. [21] Hunter became known as baseball's "first big-money free agent".[2]. Below you can see the analytics for Flathead catfish fishing in Michigan. [35] He was unconscious for several days after the fall, but he had returned home from that hospitalization when he died. In that moment, Hunter -- one of the great pitchers of his time -- became baseball's first free agent. Did your lawyer, Mr. Cherry, give Finley official notice of the contract breach?, Did the 10-day period [as stipulated in the contract] pass after Finley received the letter?. We suppose that the first eleven of these were to be for $4,166.67, and the final payment was to be for four cents less. Before seeing Cherry, however, he stopped at the Tomahawk Motel to meet Kluttz for a cup of coffee. During his first season with the team, hewent home with 23wins. Bio/Historical Note Pen used by Jim "Catfish" Hunter to sign a five-year contract estimated at $3.75 million with the New York Yankees on December 31, 1974. I was probably the first player who broke it open for other players to be paid what they're worth, Hunter said. Charlie said, Here's the money, Hunter recalled. The document would come to be known around Yankees HQ as the Catfish Hunter Manifesto.. That was where the old scout shot the final arrow in his quiver. well, they were breaking new ground. Hertford and Ahoskie had never seen anything like it and now the Yankees hope Hunter will help them see the things they always used to seepennants. I tried not to think the worst of him, but it was impossible.. Steinbrenner? Hunter was afraid his career might be over in the summer of 1978, because of shoulder problems. On Feb. 11, 1974, Hunter agreed with Finley on a two-year deal at $100,000 peronly the second multiyear contract the Owner ever awarded. Finley, unwilling to consider anybodys terms but his own, refused. In his first season in New York, Hunter led the American League with 23 wins and 328 innings pitched. That was the biggest thing that ever came to Ahoskie (N.C.).. You talk to him once more. So Kluttz did exactly that. Finley's default on his contractual obligation led to Hunter's historic free agency. Hadnt the Owner been the one to personally scout him in the backwoods of Hertford, N.C.? The catfish fish (under the chicken) was fried to perfection and seasoned well. Do you have a blog? PDF State of Michigan Department of Management and Budget Acquisition Still, he made it to the end of a contract that were remembering today, because that contract ought to be remembered. Andruw Jones Hall of Fame Classic Home Run Derby Autographed bat, Bob Feller Signing Contract with Hank Greenberg photograph, Babe Ruth and Jacob Ruppert at Contract Signing photograph, Philadelphia Phillies versus San Diego Padres scorecard, Chicago Cubs versus New York Yankees scorecard. If he hadnt agreed to the arrangement, after all, it could hardly be valid. And when it came time for the American League's 1974 Cy Young Award winner to make his choice, he was swayed not by the money but by Kluttz's involvement and the Yankee image. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. AKA James Augustus Hunter. Catfish Hunter Stats, Fantasy & News | MLB.com Ultimately, though, New Yorks offer wasnt close enough to merit serious consideration. Collections; . Even less palatable for Finley was the discovery that about $25,000 in taxes was due immediately, and he would be the one paying them. He was credited by Steinbrenner as the cornerstone of the Yankees in their return to championship form. [3] The song was later released by Dylan, Joe Cocker and Kinky Friedman. See the article in its original context from. Never complained or made excuses - just an under-rated big time pitcher. Hunter was to repay the money at a minimum of $20,000 per year, plus 6 percent interest, for as long as it took to get square. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Gabe Paul, the Yankee president, refused to disclose monetary terms but it was believed to be a $3.75million package. Hunter got off to a rough start going 03 in his first three starts, but settled down and was named to his seventh All-Star team. Jim "Catfish" Hunter holds Yankee emblem after signing multi-million dollar contract. Kluttz, who never earned more than $10,000 as a major league catcher, is a hunting companion of the pitcher in the offseason in North Carolina where both live. Pen used by Jim "Catfish" Hunter to sign a five-year contract estimated at $3.75 million with the New York Yankees on December 31, 1974. Starting with Catfish Hunter's landmark contract for the 1975 season, let's go back and find the pitchers who set the marks for highest total value contract. (California Angels owner) Gene Autry came down here handing out records of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Hunter said. The total value of the pact sets a record for baseball. Bob Dylan wrote the song "Catfish" in 1975. Kluttz, who visited Hunter along with Paul, was the former As scout who had been vital in steering the pitcher toward the As in the first place. The votes of the first two membersMiller, on behalf of the players, and John Gaherin, the owners chief negotiatorcanceled each other out. Continuing his explanation of why he picked the Yankees, Hunter said, To be a Yankee is a thought in everyone's head and mine. Or write about sports? On Oct. 10, two days before the World Series was to start, Jerome Holtzman wrote a story about Hunters contract in the Chicago Sun-Times, based on a report he received from one of Hunters confidantsformer teammate Mike Hershbergerwhich included this bombshell: the best pitcher on the best team in the league was attempting to jump ship. . This material is made available for private study, scholarship, and research use. Ring in the new. Catfish Hunter Biography, Life, Interesting Facts - Famous Birthdays By [4] Hunter was sent to the Mayo Clinic that year so that surgeons could work on his foot. It didnt take long for the $1 million predictions to be blown from the water. The pact was consummated with a handshake, no contract necessary. Ring in the new. The benefit to this arrangement was that instead of being in a high tax bracket in 1974, Hunter would be taxed later on, when he was effectively unemployed and on the hook for a smaller amount. Yankees Sign Up Catfish Hunter In Estimated $3.75Million Deal, https://www.nytimes.com/1975/01/01/archives/yankees-sign-up-catfish-hunter-in-estimated-375million-deal-hunter.html. [31], He returned to his farm in Hertford where he grew soybeans, corn, peanuts, and cotton, and was a spokesman for diabetes awareness. Catfish Hunter left the Athletics via free agency following the 1974 season and signed with the Yankees. I cannot believe that Catfish would do this to me, he said. The irony of Kluttz's presence is that if he had accepted an offer to join the newly created major league scouting bureau late last season, he wouldn't have been available to help the Yankees with Hunter. After a dispute over a technicality in his contract with Oakland A's owner, Charles O. Finley, Hunter had become the first free agent in baseball's modern era. Hunter has been the subject of multiple popular culture references. He retired with appearances in six World Series and with five World Series championships. Hed always wanted to earn six figures, and when Finley made the offer it seemed just fine. Catfish Hunter weighed 190 lbs (86 kg) when playing. Without its ace, Finleys As would fall to last place by 1977. Much of the play-by-play, game results, and transaction information both shown and used to create certain data sets was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by RetroSheet. Hunter signed with the Yankees on a five-year, $3.25 million contract. By Oct. 11 it was national news. In 1976, Hunter was also the subject of the Bobby Hollowell song "The Catfish Kid (Ballad of Jim Hunter)", which was performed by Big Tom White and released on a 45 RPM single. Catfish Hunter Contract pen - Works - eMuseum Cedarwood Cemetery, Hertford, NC, High School: Perquimans HS (Perquimans, NC), Debut: View Catfish Hunter's Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos). Hunter had arm troubles in New York and was diagnosed with diabetes, and he only occasionally looked like the pitcher who had gone 88-35 over his final four seasons with the As. 30 Facts About Catfish Hunter | FactSnippet Hunter was the first pitcher since 1915 to win 200 games by age31. Pay the insurance like the contract read.. One last time, Hunter was freed up in a different way. The Owner immediately sought a court order overturning Seitzs ruling. Hunter probably didnt think he was changing the world because an arbitrator ruled in his favor. They both knew it was folly. So was Catfish Hunter.". When Miller and MLB Players Association counsel Dick Moss read the contract, they agreed with Hunters interpretation and sent written notice to Finley about the violation. Catfish Hunter of the New York Yankees warms-up during spring training in March, 1975 in . Find the amount of the annual salary payments. James Augustus Hunter (April 8, 1946 September 9, 1999), nicknamed "Catfish", was a professional baseball player in Major League Baseball (MLB). Hunter, Kluttz, and a coterie of lawyers from Cherrys office met Greenwalds plane at the Suffolk Airport in Virginia, some 45 minutes away. If you come to San Diego, he barked into the telephone, you can write your own check., Bavasi was informed that at that very moment Hunter was heading out the back door, to the airport and New York City. As the room began to fill, the two sides were still finalizing details. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. In addition to the money, Hunter got the bonuses he was looking for including guaranteed insurance payments and annuities for college tuition for his two children. Just walking into Yankee Stadium, chills run through you. inHertford,NC, Buried: That was the day that Jim "Catfish" Hunter left the Oakland As after an arbitrator named Peter Seitz ruled that the As had violated Hunters contract by not paying him money he was owed. [24] He left the game with a bruised foot and was eventually placed on the 21-day disabled list with the injury, not pitching again until May5. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Catfish Hunter. Bitter feelings from that exchange stayed with the pitcher for a long time, and informed his future actions. (Doug McWilliams/National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum) This is a 12-month CONTRACT position with a possible extension . Posed action on the mound of James "Catfish" Hunter of the New York Yankees, 1976. Hunter was by that time among baseballs best pitchers, with three straight 20-win seasons, three All-Star appearances in four years, and back-to-back top-five finishes in the Cy Young voting. Please note that not all works are on view at all times - their availability is subject to change per the discretion of the Museum staff. Object number: B-1968-0141. For more information or access to a high resolution reproduction (some fees may apply), contact: National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Giamatti Research Center, research@baseballhall.org, 607-547-0330. . Hadnt he showered him with a $75,000 signing bonus? Finley, however, was late in delivering the insurance payments, creating strife between owner and pitcher. For the first time since the 1870s, a major league player was free to offer his services to the highest bidder. That was the day that Jim "Catfish" Hunter left the Oakland A's after an arbitrator named Peter Seitz ruled that the A's had violated Hunter's contract by not paying him money he was owed. I bought the whole town of Ahoskie drinks last night, and it only cost me two dollars.. Minor-league pitcher Jason Kosow portrayed Hunter in the ESPN miniseries The Bronx is Burning, which depicted the 1977 New York Yankees. Jim "Catfish" Hunter holds Yankee emblem after signing multi-million dollar contract. Catfish Hunter joined the Yankees in 1975 after a contract breach made him a free agent following 10 seasons with the Athletics, including three as a teammate with Dave Hamilton (right). Used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. But after making such fine history in Oakland -- in the Fall Classics and with four straight 20-win seasons -- Hunter made a different kind of history off the field in New York on New Years Eve, where the big news on that night wasnt just a ball dropping in Times Square. After the designated hitter was adopted by the American League in 1973, Hunter had only two plate appearances in his final seven seasons, with one base hit in 1973. Hunter eventually pitched in three World Series for the Yankees, after winning three straight championships with the As from 1972-74, before coming to New York. It was clear he was not buying Finley's story, when Charlie said he knew nothing about this and claimed he did not understand the deferred payments.. It was Padres GM Buzzie Bavasi, who had just received approval from owner Ray Kroc to increase his already enormous offer, worth $4.5 million, including cash, stock, and a McDonalds franchise. Hunter claimed Finley had breached his contract by failing to pay him $50,000 - half of Hunter's salary - into a long-term annuity fund. 221 Catfish Hunter Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images All rights reserved. . Finley was there, as was American League president Lee MacPhail. I LOVE NEW YORK is a registered trademark and service mark of the New York State Department of Economic Development; used with permission. Catfish Hunter - NNDB Scores from any date in Major League history, Minor, Foreign, College, & Black Baseball, Frequently Asked Questions about MLB and Baseball, Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREE. Pittsburgh offered $3.75 million for five years, plus, among other perks, limited partnership in five new Wal-Mart stores. In 1976, Hunter became the fourth major league pitcher to win 200 games before the age of 31 and the only one since Walter Johnson in 1915, preceded by Cy Young and Christy Mathewson. My confidence grew as the hearing developed, Miller said. Catfish Hunter was baseball's first free agent - MLB You started our success, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner told Hunter upon the pitchers induction to the Hall of Fame in 1987. Catfish Hunter Dead At 53 - CBS News Jim "Catfish" Hunter, the Hall of Fame pitcher who ushered in baseball's era of big bucks for free agents, died today at age 53 after battling the disease named after another New York Yankees. He had just completed a stellar season, capturing the Cy Young Award after leading the American League in wins (25) and earned run average (2.49) and powering the Oakland Athletics to their third consecutive World Series title. Finley argued that he believed the deal to involve deferred money, paid after the pitchers career endednot a sum due right away. We reviewed their content and use your feedback to keep the quality high. Bowie Kuhn said it was like giving a life sentence to a pickpocket, and imposed a moratorium on other teams negotiating with Hunter. This was the pitcher who was the object of the affections and treasuries of teams that sent a constant stream of representatives to the tiny town of Hertford where Hunter has lived all of his life and the tiny town of Ahoskie where the law firm of Cherry, Cherry and Flythe has its offices. Catfish Hunter played for 3 teams; the Kansas City Athletics, Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees. This material is made available for private study, scholarship, and research use. Cherry spent the summers middle months peppering Finley with letters seeking fulfillment. Although his contemporaries were earning much moreTom Seaver made $173,000 in 1974, and Steve Carlton $165,000Catfish had no way of knowing that. You were the first to teach us how to win.. Object numberB-1975-0563 1974 December 31. If the arbitrator sided with Hunter, the star pitchers contract could be voided. That was their signing of Dick Williams to manage the club after he resigned as manager of the A's with one year to go on his contract. It started with Catfish making $640,000 a year for five years. Some high school data is courtesy David McWater. BASEBALL NOTEBOOK; The Night Hunter Made History
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