The 2020 MLB Players Choice Award winners are announced
2010 Hall of Fame inductee, Andre Dawson, wins the first-ever Curt Flood Award
The Curt Flood Award was established this year in memory of the 50th anniversary Curt Flood’s historic judicial fight against baseball’s reserve system, which created a path for free agency. Andre Dawson was inducted into the Hall of Fame for his illustrious career in 2010.
MLB Players have voted to honor Hall of Famer Andre Dawson as the first ever recipient of The Curt Flood Award for his selflessness and longtime devotion to the Players Association and advancement of Players’ rights.
— MLBPA (@MLBPA) October 22, 2020
Thank you and congratulations, Andre! pic.twitter.com/S00DYfbUro
Dawson is the recipient of the inaugural Curt Flood Award for his decision in 1987, to offer the Chicago Cubs a blank contract and asked the team to fill in a salary. This was during a time of collusion between Major League clubs, and Dawson wanted to make a statement.
Dawson was a superstar outfielder and was frustrated after not receiving an offer after declaring himself a free agent. This exemplified the way owners colluded to deny players’ contractual free agent rights, so Dawson tested the waters with his agent, Dick Moss.
He practically baited the Cubs, which he and Moss thought would be a great fit, to sign him for very little value. It became an offer the Cubs could not pass up, so they signed the star outfielder to a contract.
If it were not for this bold action Dawson and Moss took, Dawson may have not had a chance to prove his talent in the MLB. Even bigger, Dawson may not have been a Hall of Famer if it were not for the blank contract.
Dawson had an impressive 19 season career, winning the Rookie of the Year, eight Gold Glove Awards, eight All-Star teams, MVP, and four Silver Slugger Awards. He has quite the resume and he now adds the first-ever Curt Flood Award to it.
The other three candidates included Don Baylor, Mark Belanger, and Jim Bunning.