Seitz decision
The Seitz decision was a ruling by arbitrator Peter Seitz (1905–1983)[1] on December 23, 1975, which declared that Major League Baseball (MLB) players became free agents upon playing one year for their team without a contract, effectively nullifying baseball's reserve clause. The ruling was issued in regard to pitchers Andy Messersmith and Dave McNally.
Background[edit]
Since the 1880s, baseball owners had included a paragraph described as the reserve clause in every player contract. The paragraph as written allowed teams to renew a contract for a period of one year following the end of a signed contract. Owners asserted and players assumed that contract language effectively meant that a player could be "reserved," by a ballclub's unilateral contract renewal, year after year in perpetuity by the team that had signed the player. That eliminated all market competition and kept salaries relatively low.
Dave McNally and Andy Messersmith both played professional baseball as starting pitchers. McNally first played professionally in 1961,[2] and made his major-league debut in 1962 with the Baltimore Orioles.[3] Messersmith first played professionally in 1966,[4] and made his major-league debut in 1968 with the California Angels.[5]
Aftermath[edit]
MLB appealed the decision to the United States district court for Western Missouri, but Seitz's ruling was upheld on February 3, 1976, by Judge John Watkins Oliver,[10] and later by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.[8] In August, after all appeals were exhausted, the league and players' association reached an agreement allowing players with six years of major-league service to become free agents.[11]
McNally and Messersmith were officially granted free agency on March 16, 1976.[3][5] Messersmith signed with the Atlanta Braves on April 10, 1976,[5] and went on to play in MLB through the 1979 season,[4] completing his 12-year major-league career with 344 games pitched (295 starts) and a 130–99 win–loss record.[5] McNally did not play professionally after 1975,[2] having finished his 14-year major-league career with 424 games pitched (396 starts) and a 184–119 record.[3]