Curt Flood oral history interview, 1967 or 1968
Curt Flood oral history interview
Date1967 or 1968
DescriptionCurt Flood was interviewed in St. Louis, Missouri around 1967 or 1968. Content of the interview include:
Track 1 - On playing center field, been with the Cardinals for 10 years; originally signed with the (Cincinnati) Redlegs out of high school, played with them in the Minor Leagues for about two years before being traded to the Cardinals in 1957 for Willard Schmidt, Ted Weiand and another player, came into the Cardinal organization as an infielder, but then moved to the outfield and stayed there (00:00:00 to 00:01:10.5)
Track 2 - On painting, art is very dear to him, provides an outlet for a lot of energy that he stores up when he's away from the ball park; everyone should have something that occupies their leisure time; art is constructive, gives him a way to relax and to do something worthwhile; it's been a real crutch for him over the years, baseball is a sport full of pressure and tension, and my artwork gives him a chance to relax; on his size impacting his decision to go into art, always enjoyed doing it; on doing portraits more than anything else; children are his favorite subjects, has painted his own children, children represent a certain purity and innocence that you can't get in an adult; on the painting of his own little girl appearing in the newspaper (00:01:10.5 to 00:03:17.5)
Track 3 - On his home in California; originally from Houston, lived there one year, and then moved to Oakland, CA in 1938; went to grammar school, grade school, high school in Oakland, so he claims that as his home (00:03:17.5 to 00:03:54)
Track 4 - On having hard times during the War, money was very scarce, but his Mom and Dad worked very hard to make sure that they had as much as the average kid, they weren't rich or really poor, had a large family and had a great deal of enjoyment out of doing things within the family; nice to have material things now, appreciate the things that you do have, work harder because you can remember when you didn't have material things; likes nice clothes more than anything else, a nice appearance and nice sharp clothes really add something to a person's personality; he tends to be more of a conservative dresser; likes browns, grays, blacks (00:03:54 to 00:05:24)
Track 5 - On taking chances on the diamond, playing hard, the only way to play professional baseball, being paid to do a job and try to give them their money's worth, give everything within his power to do the best he can; his size is against him, has to try twice as hard as a bigger fellow to get the same job done; a lot of professional pride, and a great deal of money involved (00:05:24 to 00:06:35.5)
Track 6 - On Cardinal team spirit, this ball club has the winning feeling, for him personally, he would try just as hard for anybody else, he's a professional athlete and you have to play it hard (00:06:35.5 to 00:07:10)
Track 7 - On growing up on the West Coast, without professional baseball, so the Hollywood stars were the heroes, the Oakland Oaks were his idols; guys like Les Scarsella, Billy Martin, Brooks Holder, who played for the Oaks; was disappointed when Oakland lost its franchise, but now it looks like they might get a Major League franchise (00:07:10 to 00:07:54)
Track 8 - On being interested in the advertising business, the art side of it; possibly an advertising agency or concern, nothing definite, but he would like that; art is his field, no other direction for him to turn his talents, commercial advertising, illustration (00:07:54 to 00:09:32)
Track 1 - On playing center field, been with the Cardinals for 10 years; originally signed with the (Cincinnati) Redlegs out of high school, played with them in the Minor Leagues for about two years before being traded to the Cardinals in 1957 for Willard Schmidt, Ted Weiand and another player, came into the Cardinal organization as an infielder, but then moved to the outfield and stayed there (00:00:00 to 00:01:10.5)
Track 2 - On painting, art is very dear to him, provides an outlet for a lot of energy that he stores up when he's away from the ball park; everyone should have something that occupies their leisure time; art is constructive, gives him a way to relax and to do something worthwhile; it's been a real crutch for him over the years, baseball is a sport full of pressure and tension, and my artwork gives him a chance to relax; on his size impacting his decision to go into art, always enjoyed doing it; on doing portraits more than anything else; children are his favorite subjects, has painted his own children, children represent a certain purity and innocence that you can't get in an adult; on the painting of his own little girl appearing in the newspaper (00:01:10.5 to 00:03:17.5)
Track 3 - On his home in California; originally from Houston, lived there one year, and then moved to Oakland, CA in 1938; went to grammar school, grade school, high school in Oakland, so he claims that as his home (00:03:17.5 to 00:03:54)
Track 4 - On having hard times during the War, money was very scarce, but his Mom and Dad worked very hard to make sure that they had as much as the average kid, they weren't rich or really poor, had a large family and had a great deal of enjoyment out of doing things within the family; nice to have material things now, appreciate the things that you do have, work harder because you can remember when you didn't have material things; likes nice clothes more than anything else, a nice appearance and nice sharp clothes really add something to a person's personality; he tends to be more of a conservative dresser; likes browns, grays, blacks (00:03:54 to 00:05:24)
Track 5 - On taking chances on the diamond, playing hard, the only way to play professional baseball, being paid to do a job and try to give them their money's worth, give everything within his power to do the best he can; his size is against him, has to try twice as hard as a bigger fellow to get the same job done; a lot of professional pride, and a great deal of money involved (00:05:24 to 00:06:35.5)
Track 6 - On Cardinal team spirit, this ball club has the winning feeling, for him personally, he would try just as hard for anybody else, he's a professional athlete and you have to play it hard (00:06:35.5 to 00:07:10)
Track 7 - On growing up on the West Coast, without professional baseball, so the Hollywood stars were the heroes, the Oakland Oaks were his idols; guys like Les Scarsella, Billy Martin, Brooks Holder, who played for the Oaks; was disappointed when Oakland lost its franchise, but now it looks like they might get a Major League franchise (00:07:10 to 00:07:54)
Track 8 - On being interested in the advertising business, the art side of it; possibly an advertising agency or concern, nothing definite, but he would like that; art is his field, no other direction for him to turn his talents, commercial advertising, illustration (00:07:54 to 00:09:32)
Object numberBL-2001-00092-004
Artist, Creator, or Manufacturer
St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball team)
Artist, Creator, or Manufacturer
Flood, Curt, 1938-1997
Subject
Flood, Curt, 1938-1997
Classificationsaudio/visual materials
Collection NumberBA RMA 003 St. Louis Cardinals oral history collection
Dimensions6.62037037037037E-03
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