Legendary Attorney Who Revolutionized Sports Industry Passes Away at 93
Richard Myron Moss III, the renowned lawyer who played a pivotal role in shaping the modern sports industry, has passed away at the age of 93. Moss died on Saturday at an assisted living residence in Santa Monica, California, after struggling with poor health for several years.
Moss’s remarkable career spanned over five decades, during which he fought tirelessly for the rights of professional athletes. As the general counsel for the Major League Baseball Players Association, he argued the landmark 1975 case involving pitchers Andy Messersmith and Dave McNally, which ultimately led to the abolition of the reserve clause. This provision had allowed teams to control players by extending their contracts indefinitely, but Moss’s victory paved the way for free agency in baseball.
The impact of Moss’s work was felt far beyond the baseball world. His efforts led to collectively bargained free agency rights in the NBA in 1976 and the NFL in 1993, transforming the sports landscape forever. The average MLB salary skyrocketed from $45,000 in 1975 to $4.5 million in 2023, while MLB’s revenues increased by a staggering 70-fold during the same period.
Moss was hailed as a “titan of the industry” by former pitcher David Cone, who remembered him as a fun-loving and gregarious personality. “He impacted the industry at that time like few others,” Cone said. “Life of the party, a great guy to have a drink with.”
Born in Pittsburgh in 1931, Moss received degrees from the University of Pittsburgh and Harvard Law School. He worked as a lawyer in Pittsburgh before joining the United Steelworkers as an associate general counsel, where he met future baseball union executive director Marvin Miller. Moss joined Miller at the baseball union in 1967 and played a crucial role in negotiating the first collective bargaining agreement in 1968.
Throughout his career, Moss worked closely with Miller to empower players and challenge the status quo. He negotiated several groundbreaking deals, including the first $1 million annual salary for Nolan Ryan in 1979 and the first $1 million salary in arbitration for Fernando Valenzuela in 1982. Moss also helped expose owners’ collusive activities in the late 1980s, leading to a $280 million settlement with the union in 1990.
Moss is survived by his third wife, Carol Freis, and a daughter from his second marriage, Nancy Moss Ephron. His legacy will continue to inspire generations of athletes, lawyers, and sports enthusiasts alike.
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