Koufax and Drysdale Holdout

[penncentralpete]

Remember when Sandy and Big Don held out together for more money in 1966? I believfe Koufax got $125,000 and Drysdale got $115,000. Suppose Snider and Hodges held out in say 1954 together. What would/could they have received?

[BigRon]

Remember when Sandy and Big Don held out together for more money in 1966? I believfe Koufax got $125,000 and Drysdale got $115,000. Suppose Snider and Hodges held out in say 1954 together. What would/could they have received?

Snider's salary in 1953 was $23,000. That year he hit .336 with 42 homers, 132 runs scored, 126 RBI, 84 extra base hits. I believe that Hodges' salary was similar then, perhaps a little bit higher.

Both probably were making in the low $30s in 1954. What could they have gotten? In 1954 Snider was considered to be one of the 3 or 4 best players in the Majors. Hodges, rightly or wrongly, was considered to be one of the 2 best first basemen. The Dodgers didn't have any replacements available for either one. Both Demeter and Gentile were in the low minors, and not ready for Major League play.


That said, O'Malley was very careful with salaries and the Dodger' attendance was sinking. Also, they had a whole team of stars- Robinson and Reese and Camapanella and Erskine and Furillo and....

My guess is that they each might have gotten $5K- $10K more than they actually signed for. O'Malley wouldn't/couldn't "bankrupt" his team.

[tonypug]

Attendence was shrinking, but profits, due to the TV-Radio contract was rising. But in the 50's, the owners held all the cards. You either played for what was offered or you didn't play. There were hundreds of players waiting their turn. The players had no leverage at all.

[penncentralpete]

Attendence was shrinking, but profits, due to the TV-Radio contract was rising. But in the 50's, the owners held all the cards. You either played for what was offered or you didn't play. There were hundreds of players waiting their turn. The players had no leverage at all.

I would have to think that a Snider--Hodges tandem had quite a lot of leverage in 1954.

[jayzeeg]

not really. where could they have gone, the reserve clause was binding then, and the option was to go home. don't forget ballplayers of that era had jobs in the offseason to supplement their income. i'm sure they also would not risk being traded and giving up the world series checks that they surely counted on, being the best team inthe league.

[penncentralpete]

I don't think the Brooks woulda let Duke and Gil "go home"..............

[hallzee]

Curt Flood was the ultimate "Holdout Hero" IMO.