lanier, along with a dozen other major leaguers, defected to the mexican league in 1946 after being offered a salary nearly double what he was making with the cardinals. disappointed by poor playing conditions and allegedly broken contract promises, he tried to return to the cardinals in 1948, but was barred by an order from commissioner happy chandler, imposing a five-year suspension on all players who had jumped to the mexican league. in response, lanier and teammate fred martin, as well as danny gardella of the new york giants, sued major league baseball in federal court, challenging baseball's reserve clause as a violation of u.s. antitrust law (preceding the similar suit by curt flood some 25 years later). chandler reinstated lanier and the other players in june 1949. lanier immediately held out for more money than he was being paid at the time of his leaving for mexico, but eventually signed a contract paying him the same amount as in 1946.