On Feb. 11, 1974, Hunter agreed with Finley on a two-year deal at $100,000 peronly the second multiyear contract the Owner ever awarded. All rights reserved. Finley, however, was late in delivering the insurance payments, creating strife between owner and pitcher. Hunter won his Opening Day start in 1977, limiting the Milwaukee Brewers to three hits over seven shutout innings in a 30 victory on April7. Round your answers to the nearest cent.) Jim "Catfish" Hunter helped the Yankees to three American League pennants and two World Series titles after leaving the Athletics following the 1974 season. Only a portion of NBHFM's collection is currently online and the information presented here is subject to updates and additions based on research and imaging activities. The conflict was leaking out to the press by the time Finley, under pressure from Commissioner Bowie Kuhn, finally offered Hunter the insurance payments in a lump sum. If the arbitrator sided with Hunter, the star pitchers contract could be voided. Bio/Historical NotePen used by Jim "Catfish" Hunter to sign a five-year contract estimated at $3.75 million with the New York Yankees on December 31, 1974. AKA James Augustus Hunter. That kind of financial outlay required the Yankees to squeeze every penny they could from the contract, and for tax purposes it made sense to put the deal on their 1974 books. Win Expectancy, Run Expectancy, and Leverage Index calculations provided by Tom Tango of InsideTheBook.com, and co-author of The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball. Ahoskie, N.C., population 5,500, was the big city close to Hunters home in Hertford, about an hours drive to the northwest. Full-year historical Major League statistics provided by Pete Palmer and Gary Gillette of Hidden Game Sports. All because the quiet man from Hertford, N.C., didnt legally belong to anybody after it was ruled that he could leave Charlie Finleys As and make his own choices about where he wanted to pitch next. He recovered in La Porte, Indiana, at the farm of Athletics owner Charles O. The Red Sox, Angels, Pirates and Mets had outside chances. Only a portion of NBHFM's collection is currently online and the information presented here is subject to updates and additions based on research and imaging activities. Hunter would lead them to three consecutive pennants and back-to-back World Series titles in 1977-78, restoring the Bronx Bombers to the top of the baseball world. You were the first to teach us how to win.. 30 Facts About Catfish Hunter | FactSnippet. When the A's failed to hold to a contract-mandated insurance payment, Catfish became the league's first free agent, and joined the New York Yankees for the remainder of his career (1974-9.) (b) Suppose that the contracted payments had been made to the insurance company from April 16, 1974 through September 30, 1974, and that they accumulated at an annual effective interest rate of 6%. Catfish Hunter played 15 seasons. On the way I did a rough draft of the contract and he signed the draft three hours later. . This placed more strain on the financial reserves of Charles O. Finley & Company than anticipated. Please email us if you have further information on the rights status of an image contrary to or in addition to the information in our records. American, Southern, Vegetarian options $$$$ That was where the old scout shot the final arrow in his quiver. When we started winning in Oakland, Cat was the father of those teams, Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson said. After a contract violation on an annuity by Finley in 1974, Catfish Hunter won arbitration in December and he was allowed to leave the Athletics as a free agent. For more information or access to a high resolution reproduction (some fees may apply), contact: National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Giamatti Research Center, research@baseballhall.org, 607-547-0330. Kluttz was no fan of the urban environment, but there were places on the outskirts with space to breathe. Hunters team claimed that Finley knew everything about the annuity arrangement from the beginning and willingly defaulted. Dont sign nothing else, Kluttz advised. That was their signing of Dick Williams to manage the club after he resigned as manager of the A's with one year to go on his contract. The money Hunter made when he signed that night at the Yankees old offices in the Parks Administration Building (in Flushing, Queens, of all places) seems quaint in comparison to the money modern free agents now make. Hunter went 0-4 in his seven starts that month. Yankees Sign Up Catfish Hunter In Estimated $3.75Million Deal, https://www.nytimes.com/1975/01/01/archives/yankees-sign-up-catfish-hunter-in-estimated-375million-deal-hunter.html. Only an hour after the World Series ended, even as Oakland players celebrated in their clubhouse, the union filed two grievancesone against Finley for breach of contract, another against Kuhn and Major League Baseball for failure to declare Hunter a free agent. He placed a call to Yankees minority partner Ed Greenwald, a prominent tax attorney in Cleveland, and together they concluded that they could make it work. Ordinarily, Paul could go directly to owner George Steinbrenner for approval, but the Boss had been suspended by Bowie Kuhn for making illegal campaign contributions to Richard Nixon and was temporarily banned from contact. Catfish Hunter of the New York Yankees warms-up during spring training in March, 1975 in . This, plus the acquisition of Bobby Bonds from San Francisco gives the team two of the biggest deals in its history. From 1965 to 1979, he was a pitcher for the Kansas City/Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees. Dec. 31, 1974: Catfish. I was probably the first player who broke it open for other players to be paid what they're worth, Hunter said. It seemed for a moment that the midnight deadline might come and go. Catfish Hunter Contract pen. Seek out and celebrate your heroes, and explore online and in-person exhibits commemorating the history and impact of the game. There were two flaws to this argument. Hunter told hima five-year deal with 15 years of deferred money at $100,000 per season, plus college funds for his kids and a variety of perks to be determined. Hadnt the Owner been the one to personally scout him in the backwoods of Hertford, N.C.? There is no way that New York would have caught Boston during that unforgettable summer, or go on to win its second World Series title in a row, without Hunter pitching the way he did down the stretch. Catfish Hunter Perfect Game cap. They both knew it was folly. Many thanks to him. If you didn't know he was making that kind of money, you'd never guess it because he was humble, very reserved about being a star-type player almost a little bit shy. [6] He became the American League's first perfect game pitcher since Charlie Robertson in 1922 (excluding Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series), as well as the franchise's first no-hit pitcher since Bill McCahan in 1947 with what were then the Philadelphia Athletics. Jimmy, he asked, what would it take for you to come and play for the Yankees? Kluttz had no power to make an offer, but he had a direct line to somebody who did. Be sure no one else knows, he warned. Pen has two white stripes running down the length of the pen, one on each side. Jackson kept winning in New York the way he and Hunter -- whom Jackson once described as the boss of the old As -- had won those three World Series titles in Oakland. vs. CLE 6.1 IP, 8 H, 2 SO, 1 BB, 4 ER. I asked [Finley] once why he only called me on the days I was due to pitch, but he said he didnt know when I was going to pitch, Hunter recalled. Object number: B-1975-0563. This material is made available for private study, scholarship, and research use. I believe there were higher offers, Hunter said after signing his contract, but no matter how much money was offered, if you want to be a Yankee, you dont think about it.. Minor-league pitcher Jason Kosow portrayed Hunter in the ESPN miniseries The Bronx is Burning, which depicted the 1977 New York Yankees. After Hunter's death, former teammate Reggie Jackson described Hunter as a "fabulous human being. I offer him the money and he wont take it.. How much did Catfish Hunter weigh when playing? [18][19][20] Further details of Finley's history with Hunter gave the A's owner added negative publicity. But it was huge money at the time, ending what the New York Times called the most celebrated bidding war in American history.. In the movie Grumpier Old Men, an enormous and highly prized fish is named "Catfish Hunter" by the locals. After further persuasion from Miller, Seitz spelled out a remedy in his ruling: Hunter would become the first free agent in baseballs modern era. . [36] Hunter is interred at Cedarwood Cemetery in Hertford, adjacent to the field where he played high school baseball. Ultimately, though, New Yorks offer wasnt close enough to merit serious consideration. [22] He also became only the fourth (and last) American League pitcher to win 20 games in a season for five consecutive seasons (19711975). Kluttz, who visited Hunter along with Paul, was the former As scout who had been vital in steering the pitcher toward the As in the first place. Following the 1979 season and the end of his five-year contract, Hunter retired from baseball at age 33. The Yankees, meanwhile, were revitalized by their new addition. Union leader Marvin Miller, meanwhile, sent a letter to MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn, seeking official recognition of Hunters free agency. We present them here for purely educational purposes. May 13, 1965 This was the pitcher who was the object of the affections and treasuries of teams that sent a constant stream of representatives to the tiny town of Hertford where Hunter has lived all of his life and the tiny town of Ahoskie where the law firm of Cherry, Cherry and Flythe has its offices. But on Dec. 31, 1974 the future Hall of Famer traded in his bright yellow As uniform for Yankee pinstripes, after a dispute over a technicality in his contract with As owner Charles O. Finley. How many seasons did Catfish Hunter play? It was clear he was not buying Finley's story, when Charlie said he knew nothing about this and claimed he did not understand the deferred payments.. Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. Hunter's statistics while he was with the Athletics were impressive: four consecutive years with at least 20 wins, and four World Series wins without a loss. Just walking into Yankee Stadium, chills run through you. Object number B-1975-0563. Bitter feelings from that exchange stayed with the pitcher for a long time, and informed his future actions. Catfish Hunter and his wife, Helen, live in the same house in the tiny town of Hertford, N.C., that they lived in 20 years ago. The other was that the Owner did not actually sign the document. Lets get this out of the way, he told the pitcher. Shortly after 7:00 p.m. Paul had a staffer schedule a news conference for 8:15. [6] Hunter made his professional baseball debut in the Florida Instructional League in 1964 but otherwise never played in the minor leagues. September 9, 1999 Watch. They drove up to a little landing strip in Suffolk, Va., and we landed in New York at 5:30. In 1975, pitchers Dave McNally and Andy Messersmith played without contracts. - B-NY76-B (Doug McWilliams / National Baseball Hall of Fame Library), One thing worried me, Miller later reflected. Discover one-of-a-kind artifacts and get lost in sweeping exhibitions that explore pivotal moments in the game and its impact far beyond the field. That winter he sold 80 percent of the farm to a family friend for his initial $150,000 investment and sent the money to the Owner. [4] At the time, Hall of Fame officials would always defer to the player's wishes in determining which team would be memorialized on his Hall of Fame Plaque. Pittsburgh offered $3.75 million for five years, plus, among other perks, limited partnership in five new Wal-Mart stores. 555 N. Central Ave. #416 Gabe Paul, the Yankee president, refused to disclose monetary terms but it was believed to be a $3.75million package. By the end of the 1974 season, Jim Catfish Hunter was the ace on baseballs best team. [7] He made his major league debut in May, and earned his first win on July 27 in Fenway Park over the Boston Red Sox. It increases the club's chances of winning a pennant., Nor, Hunter said, would all the money dilute his desire to win. Telling the pitcher to lay low until the end of the season, the agent said that hed visit Cherry in North Carolina over the winter to work out details. Hunter, Kluttz, and a coterie of lawyers from Cherrys office met Greenwalds plane at the Suffolk Airport in Virginia, some 45 minutes away. [21] Hunter became known as baseball's "first big-money free agent".[2]. Please email us if you have further information on the rights status of an image contrary to or in addition to the information in our records. Just a year ago, the Yankees went through a devastating experience with another former Finley employe. He tells the managers who to pitch and when. I was in my office for half a day and I was wearing a sweat shirt, related Greenwald, a leading tax attorney. Catfish had won 106 games over the previous five years and had just been voted the American Leagues best pitcher and was still only 28 years old. A souvenir Yankees cap was propped atop Hunters head, and out he went, smiling, to face the crowd. That left them about 12 hours to finalize things. If you have corrections or additional information about this object, please email research@baseballhall.org to help improve our records. In the Marvel Comics' Tomb of Dracula #51 (December 1976, page 26), the narrative written by Marv Wolfman states that "Dracula throws Blade through a window with the ease of Catfish Hunter throwing a fastball. When Hunter asked, however, what would happen to the contract after he died, Kansas City GM Joe Burke told him that his demise would be the termination point. While Paul and Flythe made travel preparations for New York, Greenwald was already on his way to the airport in Cleveland to charter a plane to North Carolina. View Catfish Hunter's Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos). It was Catfish who, after being declared a free agent by an arbitrator in December 1974, was made baseball's highest-paid player by the New York Yankees. Pen has a silver clip near the top with "Regal / 39c / Carbide Ball Fine." Twenty-two of the remaining 23 teams all but the San Francisco Giants entered the sweepstakes for baseballs best big game pitcher. [2], Hunter died at his home in Hertford in 1999 at age 53, a year after his ALS diagnosis. Seitz was a perceptive, acute man. background-image:unset; Joked Burke, Well, we wont have to worry about that, will we? Cherry spent the summers middle months peppering Finley with letters seeking fulfillment. It didnt take long for the $1 million predictions to be blown from the water. Bob Dylan wrote the song "Catfish" in 1975. Hunter and his team entertained between three and five clubs a day, 48 executives in all by the time things wrapped up. I thought it might be too drastic for an arbitrator.. Order online. One of the ironic parts of this story -- still such a huge story and turning point in baseball history -- is that even though it was the beginning of the way George Steinbrenner would also change baseball forever, Steinbrenner was suspended from the game at the time because of illegal contributions to the Richard Nixon presidential campaign (a felony for which he was eventually pardoned). He won 21 games in each of the previous three seasons while losing only 23, giving him a fouryear record of 88 victories and 35 defeats. Hertford and Ahoskie had never seen anything like it and now the Yankees hope Hunter will help them see the things they always used to seepennants. Collections; . [23] Hunter was also a competent hitter, with a career batting average of .226; in 1971 he hit .350 with 36 hits in 38 games. [2][11][12][13][14] He had been courted by 23 of the 24 teams, including the A's but not the San Francisco Giants,[15] and refused higher offers from the San Diego Padres and the Kansas City Royals. Catfish Hunter weighed 190 lbs (86 kg) when playing. Based on those facts, it would appear to me you will be a free agent, Kapstein said. On September 5, 2018, Hunter was inducted into the Oakland Athletics first Hall of Fame class, with wife, Helen, there to receive the honor. You have breakfast with that boy tomorrow morning, she insisted. 12,369th in major league history) Seizing the opportunity, the Owner brought MacPhail into the clubhouse, where he found Hunter and offered him a check for the outstanding $50,000 on his contract. That was a bunch of bull, because Charlie knows everything thats going on in this club. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Before seeing Cherry, however, he stopped at the Tomahawk Motel to meet Kluttz for a cup of coffee. Hunter continued to win games, and in 1974 received both The Sporting News's "Pitcher of the Year" award and the American League Cy Young Award after going 2512 with a league-leading 2.49 earned run average. By early August Finley was sufficiently concerned to urge Hunter to accept a straight payment of $50,000. Hunter's contract with the A's was straightforward. The remedy was free agency. The Rangers discussed a generous straight salary, plus a farm annuity, plus $30,000 a year for 15 years. Find out more. He had his best season in his last. Earlier reports said Hunter ing the deciding vote, took the action after Hunter charged that Charles O. Finley, owner of the Oakland A's, had breached his 1974 contract by not paying $50,000 of his $100,000 salary on a deferred payment basis to an insurance company by the stipulated time. [39] His number 27 was retired by the Oakland Athletics in a pre-game ceremony on June 9, 1991, the first in the franchise's 90 year history.[38][40]. Furthermore, he was joining an organization that was hungry to regain its former glory. The courts agreed, refusing Finleys plea at two levels of the judiciary. Catfish Hunter was born on April 8, 1946. Every effort has been made to accurately determine the rights status of images. A history of the Sports Reference Sponsorship System. National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. In the last World Series, he said, I had a card in my locker that said, Winning isn't everything, but wanting to is. I always want to win.. During his first season with the team, hewent home with 23wins. There was no indication what it was about. [2][29] Hunter won 63 games in his five seasons with the Yankees. [25][26], Arm injuries plagued Hunter beginning in 1978. 1) We are making 4166.67 for 12 installments bimonthly and our investment is growing @6%. It was also the location of the law offices of J. Carlton Cherry, Hunters 68-year-old longtime attorney, who had maintained a practice in town for some 45 years. As the room began to fill, the two sides were still finalizing details. The race was on. Amanda responds by asking, "Who's he?" Hunter played linebacker and offensive tackle in football as well as shortstop, cleanup batter, and pitcher in baseball. Closed now. In You, Me and Dupree, Catfish Hunter is mentioned by Owen Wilson's character, Dupree, convincing an Asian orchestra student that he can pitch: "First, call me Dupree 'cause I'm your teammate. Catfish Hunter was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1987. The decision, which Finley is contesting in court, created a unique situation in baseball history. If it was not valid, that meant Catfish had been pitching contract-free, which would make him a free agent. Hunter signed with the Yankees for $3.75 million over five years, proving that a market for veteran free . I did everything I could to live up to the contract, but he still has not paid the money, Hunter told him. Some high school data is courtesy David McWater. Im sure that he will be with us next season. Privately, he was less reticent. On its surface, this seemed like a boon for him. This material is made available for private study, scholarship, and research use. He had just completed a stellar season, capturing the Cy Young Award after leading the American League in wins (25) and earned run average (2.49) and powering the Oakland Athletics to their third consecutive World Series title. They also noted, as per the terms therein, that Finley had 10 days in which to comply. That left things up to Peter Seitz, a 69-year-old litigator with nearly two decades of arbitration experience across numerous industries. (Hunter died on September 9, 1999, so he would not have received a January 1, 2000 annuity payment.). After a bidding war that included nearly every MLB team, the Yankees and Catfish Hunter ink a five-year/$3.75 million contract. A trip to Cooperstown has something for baseball fans and everyone else. FIFA World Cup - Best Goals from Every Angle, Draw for the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023, Sports Illustrated, Jason Turbow/Sports Illustrated, FOX SPORTS, SPEED, SPEED.COM & 2023 Fox Media LLC and Fox Sports Interactive Media, LLC. In 2019, MLB's revenues were $10.7 billion, the average player's salary $4.43 million. Dec. 31, 1974: Catfish Hunter, five . [3] The accident left Hunter somewhat hobbled and jeopardized his prospects in the eyes of many professional scouts, but the Kansas City Athletics signed Hunter to a contract. That last detail, it turned out, would prove to be instrumental in the years to come. He led the league in wins (23) for the second year in a row, and also led the league in innings pitched (328) and complete games (30) to finish second to Jim Palmer of the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Cy Young balloting. The catfish fish (under the chicken) was fried to perfection and seasoned well. One thing Paul had working in his favor, however, was Yankees director of minor league scouting Clyde Kluttz. Catfish Hunter was also a competent hitter, with a career batting average of .226; in 1971 he hit .350 with 36 hits in 38 games. On Wednesday, May 8, against the Minnesota Twins, Hunter pitched the ninth perfect game in baseball history. background-color:#ba3434; Hunter was by that time among baseball's best. In the midst of the mayhem, the phone rang. It was from Finley. ", List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders, List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders, List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders, List of Major League Baseball career strikeout leaders, "Catfish Hunter, Who Pitched in 6 World Series for A's and Yankees, Dies at 53", "Catfish Hunter Winter Leagues Statistics & History". All images are property the copyright holder and are displayed here for informational purposes only. James Augustus "Catfish" Hunter played for championship teams in both Oakland and New York, finding success wherever he went. James Augustus Hunter (April 8, 1946 September 9, 1999), nicknamed "Catfish", was a professional baseball player in Major League Baseball (MLB). Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. While at the Yankees he had . On Oct. 10, two days before the World Series was to start, Jerome Holtzman wrote a story about Hunters contract in the Chicago Sun-Times, based on a report he received from one of Hunters confidantsformer teammate Mike Hershbergerwhich included this bombshell: the best pitcher on the best team in the league was attempting to jump ship. Catfish Hunter joined the Yankees in 1975 after a contract breach made him a free agent following 10 seasons with the Athletics, including three as a teammate with Dave Hamilton (right). It's also available for football, basketball and hockey. [4] He had won 161 games for the A's, 131 in seven seasons in Oakland and 30 in his first three seasons in Kansas City. I told him, I don't want it that way. Anyone can read what you share. For more information or access to a high resolution reproduction (some fees may apply), contact: National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Giamatti Research Center, research@baseballhall.org, 607-547-0330. Early speculation said that it might take as much as $1 million to lock him up. Not long afterward, with Steinbrenner back in control of the Yankees and starting to throw money around, he signed Catfish Hunters old As teammate, Reggie Jackson, to a five-year contract with a total value of $3.5 million. Catfish Hunter signs free agent contract with New York Yankees, https://www.tiktok.com/@baseballhall?lang=en. Hunter eventually pitched in three World Series for the Yankees, after winning three straight championships with the As from 1972-74, before coming to New York. Before and after his induction, Hunter spoke highly of his experiences with both the Athletics and Yankees and his appreciation for both team owners, Charlie Finley and George Steinbrenner. Hunter has been the subject of multiple popular culture references. National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. us, Died: "How a contract breach led Catfish Hunter to become baseball's first real free agent", "Catfish forever altered economics of sports", "Catfish selects Yankees, Pirates offer short $ $", "Hunter ruling stands but Finley to appeal", "Yearly League Leaders & Records for Complete Games", "Blue Jays Beat Yanks; Hunter on Disabled List", "Catfish Hunter still planning on retirement", "Hunter regains consciousness after fall", "Ace pitcher and baseball's first free-agent star", "Hunter Is Buried in the Town Where He Learned Baseball", "Perquimans County Chamber of Commerce/Visitor Center & Jim "Catfish" Hunter Museum", The ALS Association Jim "Catfish" Hunter Chapter, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Catfish_Hunter&oldid=1136285306, May 13,1965,for theKansas City Athletics, September 17,1979,for theNew York Yankees, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 29 January 2023, at 16:54. We can't go against the decision of the courts., Informed of Hunter's signing, Finley said from his home in LaPorte, Ind. For this reason, he declined to choose a team; accordingly, his plaque depicts him with no logo on his cap. Finley was on the hook for the outstanding $50,000, plus interest, for Hunters services in 1974, and because he had not fulfilled the players contract, it was theretofore terminated. Recouping his loan to Hunter was among the Owners quickest paths to solvency. We suppose that the first eleven of these were to be for $4,166.67, and the final payment was to be for four cents less. Use of this website (including any and all parts and components) constitutes your acceptance of these, Dynastic, Bombastic, Fantastic: Reggie, Rollie, Catfish, and Charlie Finleys Swingin As. Second, so what if you're in the orchestra? An arbitration hearing took place on Nov. 26 in New York. That was the day that Jim "Catfish" Hunter left the Oakland A's after an arbitrator named Peter Seitz ruled that the A's had violated Hunter's contract by not paying him money he was owed. Buttermaker asks, "Who do you think you are, Catfish Hunter?" How about my wife? asked Catfish. Born: 8-Apr-1946 Birthplace: Hertford, NC Died: 9-Sep-1999 Location of . The ramifications of Hunters landmark contract, meanwhile, were felt outside the Bronx. Hunters case was brought before arbitrator Peter Seitz in December, and Finley claimed to be confused by the terms of Hunters contract. It started with Catfish making $640,000 a year for five years. Hunter, Jim, 1946-1999. Then, he underwent a 10-minute, non-surgical shoulder manipulation at the hands of Yankees team doctor Maurice Cowen. Hunter signed with the Yankees on a five-year, $3.25 million contract. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. [37], Along with Billy Williams and Ray Dandridge, Hunter was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 1987. Catfish Hunter Stats, Fantasy & News. Just a few months later, however, the Owner purchased the Memphis Pros of the American Basketball Association, supplementing the hockey team he had already acquired, the NHLs California Golden Seals. In addition to the money, Hunter got the bonuses he was looking for including guaranteed insurance payments and annuities for college tuition for his two children. Tasked to make sense of it was a three-person panel. Hunters contract with the As was straightforward. Just like that, Major League Baseball had its first true free agent. Kluttz signed Hunter to his first professional contract with the Kansas City A's in 1964. Hunter, a major leaguer for 10 years, tied for the most victories, in the majors last season with 25. The benefit to Finley was that he got to hold on to the money in the interim, earning interest on it all the while. Clyde never lied to me then and he never lied to me now, said Hunter, who has won 88 games in the last four seasons while helping pitch the A's to three consecutive World Series championships. Finley, unwilling to consider anybodys terms but his own, refused. The first team to make an offer, the Cleveland Indians, opened with $2.4 million over 10 years. The images, titles, and descriptions are products of their time. [8] Twenty days later on December 16, arbitrator Peter Seitz decided in favor of Hunter, officially making him a free agent. Bio/Historical Note Pen used by Jim "Catfish" Hunter to sign a five-year contract estimated at $3.75 million with the New York Yankees on December 31, 1974.