far more sweeping changes to the business aspect of baseball, and that these matters were far better addressed at the bargaining table. Deliberations Following oral arguments, the Court took an unofficial voice vote in order of seniority. Chief Justice Warren E. Burger began by admitting that "Toolson is probably wrong", but he did not say whether he believed the lower courts' rulings should be reversed. William O. Douglas voted to reverse the previous decisions and wanted to remand the case to district court for a new trial. Brennan agreed that Toolson should be overturned, but he also believed that Flood was primarily a labor dispute that should remanded for a new trial that did not focus on antitrust concerns. Justice Potter Stewart voted to uphold the lower courts' rulings under Congress's explicit decision to exempt baseball from antitrust laws, and his position was joined by Marshall and Justice Byron White. Justice Harry Blackmun also saw the case as a labor dispute and tentatively voted to affirm. Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. recused himself, as he owned stock in Anheuser-Busch. While waiting for confirmation that the Cardinals were a subsidiary of the company, he stated in a voice vote that he believed the lower courts' rulings should be reversed, as it made "no sense" that baseball received different treatment in antitrust cases than other sports such as football. Justice William Rehnquist, the last to vote, affirmed the decision of the lower courts. Without Powell, the court remained at a 4–4 deadlock until Burger changed his vote in favor of MLB. On June 19, 1972, the Court delivered its decision, with both parties notified by telegram that the lower courts' rulings had been upheld by a 5–3 margin. Blackmun, Stewart, Rehnquist, Burger, and White formed the majority, with Douglas, Marshall, and Brennan dissenting. Had the 4–4 tie remained, the decision of the lower courts would have been affirmed, but the Court would not have published any opinions. None of the opinions specifically addressed the reserve clause; all instead focused on baseball's antitrust exemption. Decision Blackmun's opinion Stewart had been asked to select the writer for the majority, a duty which he imparted on Blackmun, a noted baseball fan and the only member of the majority whose opinions seemed to have wavered on the case. Stewart told Blackmun to "do it very briefly ... Write a per curiam and we'll get rid of