Flood never enjoyed the fruits of his efforts. He never did play in Philadelphia, which got two other Cardinals, including '71 rookie-of-the-year runner-up Willie Montanez, in compensation.
Flood later agreed to play in Washington. The Phillies shipped him there, and in 1971, he played just 13 games with the Senators before quitting for good.
"Every major-league baseball player owes Curt Flood a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid," pitcher Tom Glavine, then the National League's player representative, said at the time of Flood's death.
That recognition has not helped Flood gain entry into the Hall of Fame, where his career achievements - on and off the field - seem to warrant serious consideration.
"We're still working on getting him in," Pace-Flood said.
She said the decision to sell Flood's baseball memorabilia - it includes a ball autographed by civil-rights pioneer Rosa Parks - was not a financial one.
According to Hunt Auction president David Hunt, Flood's widow approached them. He said the Flood items were a small part of a much larger sale and, in that context, were "more significant historically than financially."
The estimated value of the Flood items, according to the show's 214-page catalog, is between $60,000 and $80,000.
"It's difficult to put an estimate on items like these," Hunt said, "because they are one of a kind. Their value is what the audience that day perceives it to be."
Hunt said the market for memorabilia like Flood's tended to hold or strengthen during recessions.
"If I have a stock in a company, that company might be gone tomorrow," he said. "But Babe Ruth's bat, while its value may fluctuate, will still be Babe Ruth's bat in the morning."
It is anticipated that Flood's World Series ring ($15,000 to $20,000) and his 1963 Gold Glove Award ($5,000 to $7,000) will be the sale's most valuable items.
"I just felt it was time to share these things with museums and baseball fans who have expressed so much interest in what Curt did," Pace-Flood said.
"The time was right."
Contact staff writer Frank Fitzpatrick at 215-854-5068 or ffitzpatrick@phillynews.com.
