Thanks for the suggestions, gentlemen. I don't have a parking brake and the fluid didn't squirt out when I opened the line, but it wouldn't hurt to rebuild or replace the master cylinder, anyway. I don't think it's the caliper because it happened after I put the huge force on the handle, and the brake now sticks with both the old worn pads or the new thick ones. Two by four next time, duh.
I will report the solution when I find it....