Tuesday marked the start of Black History Month, which the Los Angeles Dodgers and Mookie Betts separately began by recognizing multiple pioneers.
Betts chose to celebrate Curtis Charles Flood, who also was known to many simply as Curt Flood. After graduating from high school in 1956, he signed a contract with the then-Cincinnati Redlegs that included an invitation to Spring training.
Flood’s professional career began with racist treatment he hadn’t much experienced while growing up in California and he was assigned to High Point-Thomasville of the Class B Carolina League. Despite endless threats and mistreatment, Flood performed markedly well.
He led the league with a .340 batting average, set a team record with 29 home runs and a league record with 133 runs scored. Flood was named the the Carolina League Player of the Year and earned a call-up to the Redlegs late in the season.
Curtis Charles Flood… You stood for US ALL, you changed not only baseball, but all sports! I am forever grateful for your selflessness! #CurtFlood #gratitude #changemaker #ShareBlackStories pic.twitter.com/41B6y5rX8d
— Mookie Betts (@mookiebetts) February 1, 2022
His MLB debut came as a pinch-runner on September 9, 1956, and three days later Flood logged his only at-bat of the season. Despite appearing in just five games for the Redlegs that season, Flood shared the field with Brooklyn Dodgers icon Jackie Robinson, who of course was responsible for breaking the color barrier in baseball.
Flood played in only three games for Cincinnati the following year and was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals after the 1957 season. That propelled him to a tremendous Major League career that included two World Series titles, three All-Star Game selections, seven Gold Glove Awards and votes for MVP from 1963-1969.
Flood’s final time in the Majors was with the Washington Senators in 1971.
Dodgers celebrated Jackie Robinson
Manager Dave Roberts and the Dodgers welcomed softball and baseball players from John Muir High School to Dodger Stadium on Monday for a celebration on what would have been Robinson’s 103rd birthday.
David Robinson, one of Jackie and Rachel’s three children, addressed the students via Zoom.
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