1968 Blackballs Posted on June 28, 2023 at 02:00:31 PM by Florida Dan
Tiger, I am assuming that you are referring to the 1968 strike.
In 1962, I was transferred by my company to Hollywood Florida and attended Jai alai at Miami and Dania. It was at Dania that I watched Egurbide play and he was outstanding at that fronton. In 1965 I was transferred to Orlando and watched Jai alai at Orlando and Daytona.
In 1968, the Miami players formed a union and went on strike for more pay and more control. I think that 5 of the Florida frontons joined the strike. Management held fast and hired replacement players and the striking players were left hanging.
At the beginning of the 1968-1969 season, the striking players wanted to return and play but management refused them and blackballed them from ever playing again in those five Florida frontons.
The striking players went back to the Basque country for a couple of years until Jai alai opened up in CT and many of them played their careers out there.
I remember that Daytona replaced all of the striking players with an entire roster of Mexican players.
