Whatever I contributed to the unique morale of the Cardinals was part of this growth, and so, of course, was my decision to have it out in public with the owners of organized baseball.

The baseball establishment is permissive about revelry.

I'd often wondered what would I do if I were ever traded, because it happened many, many times.

And I'd be lying if I told you that as a black man in baseball I hadn't gone through worse times than my teammates.

Everybody thinks of baseball as a sacred cow. When you have the nerve to challenge it, people look down their noses at you. There are a lot of things wrong with a lot of industries....baseball is one of them.

People try to make a Greek tragedy of my life, and they can't do it. I'm too happy.

I'll also say, yes, I think the change in black consciuosness in recent years has made me more sensitive to injustice in every area of my life.