United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Flood v. Kuhn, 407 U.S. 258 (1972)

Flood v. Kuhn

No. 71-32

Argued March 20, 1972

Decided June 19, 1972

407 U.S. 258

Syllabus

Petitioner, a professional baseball player "traded" to another club without his previous knowledge or consent, brought this antitrust suit after being refused the right to make his own contract with another major league team, which is not permitted under the reserve system. The District Court rendered judgment in favor of respondents, and the Court of Appeals affirmed.

Held: The longstanding exemption of professional baseball from the antitrust laws, Federal Baseball Club v. National League, 259 U. S. 200 (1922); Toolson v. New York Yankees, Inc., 346 U. S. 356 (1953), is an established aberration, in the light of the Court's holding that other interstate professional sports are not similarly exempt, but one in which Congress has acquiesced, and that is entitled to the benefit of stare decisis. Removal of the resultant inconsistency at this late date is a matter for legislative, not judicial, resolution. Pp. 407 U. S. 269-285.

443 F.2d 264, affirmed.

BLACKMUN, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which STEWART and REHNQUIST, JJ., joined, and in all but Part I of which BURGER, C.J., and WHITE, J., joined. BURGER, C.J., filed a concurring opinion, post, p. 407 U. S. 285. DOUGLAS, J., post, p. 407 U. S. 286, and MARSHALL, J., post, p. 407 U. S. 288, filed dissenting opinions, in which BRENNAN, J., joined. POWELL, J., took no part in the consideration or decision of the case.

Page 407 U. S. 259