““They must think we’re a They must think we’re a bunch of (censored):”bunch of (censored):”

Gussie Busch, Gussie Busch, Paternalism, and Paternalism, and

the Collapse of the the Collapse of the Cardinals DynastyCardinals Dynasty

Anthony Anthony Giacalone Giacalone

August A. Busch, Jr.August A. Busch, Jr.Joined Anheuser-Busch in 1922General Manager, 1926 Vice President, 1934U.S. Army Colonel, Tank Production, 1942-1945President, Anheuser-Busch, 1946“Hot-tempered . . .” “Tough and stubborn . . .” “Profane . . .” “Shrewd . . .” “Vindictive bully . . .” “A tyrant . . .” “Irascible and demanding to meet exacting standards . . .” “Little patience with opposition . . .”

Busch and the Busch and the CardinalsCardinals

Purchased Cardinals in 1953, from Phil Saigh, saving the team for St. Louis by averting a possible sale to Milwaukee or Houston interests. A pioneer in the move to corporate ownership in Baseball, Busch publicly claimed that he had no interest in using the baseball team to further his brewery’s bottom line, but he quickly withdrew from this stance.

“Probably there never has been another owner in the major leagues with less personal interest in the game than Gussie Busch, or one who used his baseball connection more blatantly to shill for his product.”

- Red Smith

Busch’s Busch’s “Investment” in St. “Investment” in St. LouisLouis

The “man with the soft heart and hard nose,” Busch not

only served on civic boards and supported local

institutions, he also spent lavishly on dilapidated

Sportsmans Park and then contributed millions in private

money to build Busch Stadium.

Busch and Civil Busch and Civil RightsRights

Busch sought baseball talent of quality, regardless of skin color. He added African- Americans to the team’s scouting staff. The first player that Busch’s Cardinals acquired, Tom Alston, was an African- American, followed quickly by the team’s first African-American starting pitcher, Brooks Lawrence. He was then instrumental in forcing playing time for the team’s first every day African-American player, Curt Flood, in 1958.

Further, following an uprising by Bill White, he was instrumental in integrating St. Petersburg’s minor league facilities in 1961.

The Cardinals Dynasty, The Cardinals Dynasty, 1964-1968 1964-1968

World Champions, 1964World Champions, 1967N.L. Champions, 1968

Busch’s “Perks”Busch’s “Perks”Busch offered his players lavish perquisites based on their good service and loyalty to the organization. Among these perks: players rode on chartered jets with free beer; they received free beer delivered to their homes if they asked; they stood possibly to be rewarded financially after their playing days; and also received supplementary assistance if it was needed.

In the words of one observer, the perks represented Busch’s understanding that “benevolent despotism equaled enlightened self-interest”

Harry CarayHarry CarayBusch’s ire at his employees rose steadily throughout the 1968-1969 off-season.

After the Busch’s long-time broadcaster and beer pitchman, Harry Caray was run over in November of 1968, the Busch family discovered that Caray had allegedly been maintaining a long-time affair with Busch’s daughter-in-law.

Busch fired Caray after the 1969 season.

Marvin Miller Marvin Miller and the Players’ and the Players’ UnionUnion

Using the force of law and the strength of collective action after 1966, Marvin Miller’s leadership of the Major League Baseball Players’ Association forced the sport’s owners to resolve their archaic notions of employee relations.

By 1969, Miller and the Players Association had secured a say in how contracts were drawn, a ten thousand dollar minimum salary, the ability to file formal grievances, and increased healthcare, life insurance and pension benefits.

Bob GibsonBob Gibson

Gibson always tamped down his strong opinions on race and politics during his playing days, however, he was still willing to go bat for his fellow players, if necessary.

His nationally televised appearance on the Tonight Show, in which he pleaded the Union’s case in the 1969 negotiations, further frustrated Busch during the 1969-1970 off-season.

Busch’s Warning, 1969Busch’s Warning, 1969The Union’s proposal for a share of baseball’s new expansion revenues and their threat to strike rankled Busch.

Flanked by Anheuser-Busch corporate executive and with the media in tow, Busch lectured his “boys” on the generosity of the owners proposals and chided them for their trust in Miller, their failure to understand the “business of baseball,” and for not catering to the fans.

The Cardinals trade of the beloved Cepeda for the Braves catcher-first

baseman Joe Torre provided the team with years of production and esteemed leadership. But, coming the same

week as Busch’s lecture, it signaled something ominous to Cardinal

players.

The The Orlando Cepeda Orlando Cepeda

TradeTrade

The Curt Flood TradeThe Curt Flood Trade

The trade of Curt Flood (along with Tim The trade of Curt Flood (along with Tim McCarver, Joe Hoerner and Byron Browne) to McCarver, Joe Hoerner and Byron Browne) to the Phillies for Dick Allen (along with Cookie the Phillies for Dick Allen (along with Cookie

Rojas and Jerry Johnson) following the Cardinals Rojas and Jerry Johnson) following the Cardinals disappointing 1969 campaign precipitated the disappointing 1969 campaign precipitated the first legal challenge to the reserve clause since first legal challenge to the reserve clause since

1947.1947.

The 1970 Collective The 1970 Collective Bargaining NegotiationsBargaining Negotiations

The most far-reaching ramifications on Flood’s suit was it’s affect upon collective bargaining negotiations in 1970 and 1972. Flood v. Kuhn helped the Union win the creation of an arbitration panel to settle contract disputes.

Contract problems with the Players Association was just one of Busch’s labor problems that year.

Steve Carlton’s 1970 Steve Carlton’s 1970 HoldoutHoldout

Carlton’s attempt to secure a raise from $24,000 to $50,000 launched Busch into a spring training tirade. The rash of 1970 holdouts fed Busch’s suspicion that the Union was launching a covert campaign to secure free agency for players.

“I don’t care if he ever pitches a ball for us again,” stormed Busch. “I’m no attorney but I think this is another challenge to the reserve clause. I’m pretty fed up . . . They must think we’re a bunch of (censored).”

“Carlton didn’t realize just how fed up Busch had become, not only with excessive demands and diamond-studded fringe benefits, but with the uncooperative attitude of individuals in some areas. . . . Carlton became indeed a victim of poor timing.”

- Bob Broeg

Dick Allen Dick Allen The other recipients of Busch’s wrath were The other recipients of Busch’s wrath were newly-acquired, fellow holdout, Dick Allen newly-acquired, fellow holdout, Dick Allen and, in a sense, the nation as a wholeand, in a sense, the nation as a whole

““I can’t understand, Allen. I can not I can’t understand, Allen. I can not understand Curt Flood. We have to take a understand Curt Flood. We have to take a stand for the good of baseball,” sputtered stand for the good of baseball,” sputtered Busch. “This player-rebellion stuff and all Busch. “This player-rebellion stuff and all the damned protestors out there . . . I hope the damned protestors out there . . . I hope to God this is not a majority view. I can’t to God this is not a majority view. I can’t understand what’s happening here, or on understand what’s happening here, or on the campuses, or in our great country.”the campuses, or in our great country.”

I “felt the need to sacrifice. Nobody gets everything he wants, but there is the opportunity for more. The Cardinals treated me swell. . . . this is the first time since 1964 that I’m leaving home with a winning attitude.”

- Allen, on signing his 1970 contract with the Cardinals

Lou BrockLou BrockThe way that Busch handled negotiations with Carlton and Allen exemplify the organization’s standard negotiating tactics of the day. Busch refused to pay Allen more than Brock’s $85,000 salary, even though Allen and Brock were rookies the same year and Allen had posted lifetime stats of .300/.380/.555 (164 OPS+) compared to Brock’s marks of .294/.338/.444 (119 OPS+). “We like to see a man deliver for us first,” explained Busch.

Like Allen and Carlton, Brock was also a salary holdout in the early spring of 1970, as were Mike Shannon, Del Maxvill, Cookie Rojas, Leron Lee and Carl Taylor.

The 1972 Players’ The 1972 Players’ StrikeStrike

To Miller’s surprise, Busch and a few other hawkish owners who controlled the Players Relations Committee took a fiercely hard-line with the Union in Spring of 1972 in an attempt to break Miller’s “grip” on the players. “We’re not going to give them another cent,” Busch barked. “ If they want to strike – let ‘em!”

“Any owner who does not disavow

the truculence and profanity of

Gussie Busch should not be

surprised when collective

bargaining breaks down.”

- Miller

Steve Carlton, Steve Carlton, 19721972

Following his 20-win season of 1971, Carlton sought a raise from $40,000 to $55,000 – “the biggest percentage increase of any regular player on the team.”

Busch took as hard a stance with Carlton as he did with the Union. When Carlton refused the team’s initial offer of $50,000, Busch ordered that he be traded. “Mr. Busch developed the feeling that Carlton was a

‘smart-aleck’ young guy, ‘and I’m not used to having young smart-alecks tell me what to do.’”

- Bing Devine

Bing DevineBing DevineRegretting he had been forced to trade Carlton to the Phillies for Rick Wise, Cardinals’ general manager Bing Devine asked Busch advisor and team exec Dick Meyer, “What do you suppose would have happened if I had just told Mr. Busch, ‘No?’”

“You’d have been gone first – and Steve Carlton right behind you,” replied Meyer.

Jerry ReussJerry Reuss

Additionally, Reuss started growing a beard before the

1972 season. “Mr. Busch didn’t like facial hair on

ballplayers,” noted Devine. “‘Let’s get rid of Reuss.’ I didn’t have an ultimatum

handed down, but I knew he wanted to trade him.”

- Devine

Another young pitching star that Busch forced Devine to trade was Jerry Reuss.

Having won a small contract award against the Cardinals following the 1971 season, Reuss came to be regarded by Busch as a “a new breed player” who weren’t grateful to be in big leagues.

Ted SimmonsTed SimmonsAfter just two full major league seasons, the Cardinals intelligent but eccentric catcher, Simmons demanded a raise from $14,000 to $35,000. Citing Nixon’s Wage and Price controls, Busch refused to accede for reasons of patriotism.

Flood’s pending Supreme Court decision induced the Cardinals to allow Simmons to report without a 1972 contract, making him the first serious threat to the renewal clause.

Busch in the Busch in the WildernessWilderness

His continued struggles against the Players’ Union in 1976, 1980 and 1981 surprised few of his players. However, an equally small few didn’t feel a warm regard for The Boss in later years.

With both his Cardinals and, more importantly, his brewery struggling in the early-1970s, Busch was driven power at Anheuser-Busch by his son. In the power struggle that ensued, Busch was allowed to retain control over the Cardinals franchise.