Danny Gardella facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Danny Gardella |
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| Outfielder / First baseman | |||
| Born: February 26, 1920 New York City, New York, U.S. |
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| Died: March 6, 2005 (aged 85) Yonkers, New York, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| May 14, 1944, for the New York Giants | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| April 20, 1950, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .267 | ||
| Home runs | 24 | ||
| Runs batted in | 85 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Daniel Lewis Gardella (February 26, 1920 – March 6, 2005) was an American professional baseball player. He played most of his Major League Baseball (MLB) career as a left fielder for the New York Giants. He played with them from 1944 to 1945. Danny was born in New York City and played baseball left-handed.
Gardella is famous for being one of the few MLB players who left their teams. They went to play in the "outlaw" Mexican League in 1946. After this, the baseball boss, Commissioner of Baseball Happy Chandler, banned him. Gardella then sued MLB. He argued that a rule called the "reserve clause" was unfair. This rule meant players had to stay with one team forever. He also said that MLB's special "antitrust exemption" was illegal. This exemption meant baseball didn't have to follow normal business rules. His case was settled outside of court. It happened before a big decision that later gave MLB players free agency. Free agency means players can choose which team to play for.
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Danny Gardella's Baseball Journey
Danny Gardella worked at a shipyard in Jersey City. A scout for the Giants found him playing on a local team in 1944. He played only six weeks in the minor leagues. Then, he joined the New York Giants on May 14, 1944.
Gardella was known for his fun actions on the field. He would often walk on his hands and do other acrobatic tricks. He was also one of the first players to train with weights. More importantly, he was the first major league player to challenge baseball's "reserve clause." This challenge was a big step in the fight for players' rights. It eventually led to players getting free agency and high-paying contracts.
Playing in Major League Baseball
In his three seasons in MLB, Gardella had a .267 batting average. He hit 24 home runs and had 85 RBI (runs batted in) in 169 games. His best season was in 1945. That year, he hit .272 with 18 home runs and 71 RBI in 121 games. Some of his teammates that season were famous players like Mel Ott and Joe Medwick.
Playing in the Mexican League
In 1946, the Giants wanted players who were returning from World War II military service. The Giants offered Gardella $5,000 to play, which was a small raise. He didn't sign the contract. He hoped to get a better deal. But when he arrived at spring training, his manager told him his time with the Giants was over. He would be traded.
A few days later, Gardella announced he would play in Mexico. He had accepted an offer of $13,000. He had met the president of the Mexican League, Jorge Pasquel, and they became friends. Pasquel also offered a lot of money to other major league players. Several players, including pitchers Sal Maglie and Max Lanier, went to Mexico. They went even though their MLB teams didn't want them to.
Gardella played 100 games for the Azules de Veracruz in Mexico. He batted .275 with 13 home runs and 64 RBI. He was usually a left fielder, but his manager played him at first base. He was even chosen for the Mexican League All-Star Game.
Commissioner of Baseball Happy Chandler was very strict. He banned all players who went to the Mexican League for at least five years. This was because they broke the "reserve clause" rule.
The Lawsuit: Gardella v. Chandler
In October 1947, Gardella couldn't find a baseball job anywhere. He had played in Mexico, and MLB had banned him. So, he decided to sue Major League Baseball and the Giants. He asked for $300,000 in damages. He claimed that the "reserve clause" was "monopolistic" and stopped fair trade. This meant it gave baseball too much control and hurt players.
A year later, a judge dismissed his case. The judge said a 1922 Supreme Court ruling stated that baseball was not a normal business. This meant it didn't have to follow federal antitrust laws. But in February 1949, a higher court, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, disagreed. They sent the case back to the lower court for a trial.
In June 1949, Commissioner Chandler faced losing in court. So, he offered to forgive the players who had gone to Mexico. Gardella's lawyer told him that a long court fight would be very expensive. So, Gardella dropped his lawsuit. He later said that he received a $60,000 payment from baseball as part of the settlement.
Later Life and Legacy
In 1950, Gardella signed with the St. Louis Cardinals. But he played only one time before being sent to the minor leagues. He never played in the major leagues again. After leaving baseball, he worked in a warehouse, as a hospital orderly, and as a gym trainer.
Many years after Gardella's lawsuit, the United States Supreme Court still upheld the "reserve clause." This happened in cases like the one brought by outfielder Curt Flood. However, players finally won free agency on December 23, 1975. This happened after an arbitrator named Peter Seitz ruled in a case brought by pitchers Dave McNally and Andy Messersmith. He decided that players could leave their teams after their contracts ended.
In 1994, Gardella talked about his lawsuit. He was proud of challenging the system. He said, "I feel I let the whole world know that the reserve clause was unfair." He felt it was like a form of forced labor.
Danny Gardella passed away from heart failure in Yonkers, New York, on March 6, 2005. He was 85 years old.
See also
- Van Lingle Mungo (song)
