May 10, 2006

MLB Giving Medical Coverage to Negro Leaguers, White Players Suing to Stop It

Worst lawsuit ever?

Negro Leagues players' payments upheld
Major League Baseball is entitled to pay former Negro Leagues players $10,000 a year and provide medical coverage as compensation for their exclusion from the big leagues, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday, rejecting a reverse-discrimination suit from a group of white ex-players.

The medical program was established in 1993 and the income program in 1997 for players who were in the Negro Leagues in 1947 or earlier, before Jackie Robinson broke the major league color line.

It covered players who had spent at least part of four seasons in professional baseball, including the Negro Leagues, but had not played long enough in the major leagues to qualify for medical or pension benefits. Before 1980, players needed four or five years in the majors.

About two dozen former Negro Leagues players are collecting benefits under the two programs, said Richard Levin, a spokesman for the major leagues.

The programs were challenged in 2003 by Mike Colbern, a Chicago White Sox catcher in 1978-79, on behalf of a group of white retirees who had played too briefly to qualify for pre-1980 medical or pension benefits. Claiming racial discrimination, they sought equal benefits for themselves.

Upholding a federal judge's dismissal of the suit, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said baseball had legitimate reasons to limit the program to those who had been barred because of their race...

Posted by jsmooth995 at May 10, 2006 1:09 PM

Comments

Incomplete info, though.

Based on the wording "a group of white retirees who had played too briefly to qualify for pre-1980 medical or pension benefits. Claiming racial discrimination, they sought equal benefits for themselves." ... it sounds like perhaps all Negro League players are eligibile, no matter how briefly they played, while MLB players have a tenure requirement.

If that's the case, it's basically organized as reparations and not equal treatment.

Posted by: Joe Grossberg at May 10, 2006 3:13 PM

The article (third paragraph) specifies that not all Negro League players are eligible, only those who were professional players in four or more seasons, which is the same amount of time white players needed for MLB benefits..

Posted by: Jay Smooth at May 10, 2006 3:30 PM

Yeah, then WTF?

(And RTFA, Joe!)

Posted by: Joe Grossberg at May 10, 2006 6:02 PM

How did I miss this?

Posted by: Rachel S at May 10, 2006 9:24 PM

Jay, I think you headline is a little bit inaccurate. According to the article, the white players are not suing in order to end payments for black players, they are "seeking equal benefits for themselves." How does it harm black players if these whites are paid as well? I assume it would benefit black players--those similarly situated to the whites who sued, having played MBL but not establishing the tenure to get benefits.

Posted by: asmile at May 11, 2006 8:41 PM

The rules currently state that if you played MLB before 1980 you had to play in 4 seasons in order to get these benefits. There are less than 24 players from the Negro Leagues who played in at least 4 seasons who receive these benefits. These white players are all players who played before 1980 and played in fewer than 4 seasons. The judge in the case said that no unfair treatment is given to the players from the Negro Leagues and even if there was unfair treatment MLB is entitled to make up for past injustices. Here's another link with more info.

Posted by: Cinnamon at May 15, 2006 2:29 AM

Shouldn't these men have received retro pay once the vesting requirements changed? What about
the fact that baseball continutes to use the names and stats of these players without their
consent ? no one even touch on the fact that these men will live in pain for the rest of their lives due to the injuries they sustained playing the game ! MLB SUCKS !!!

Posted by: Cindy at May 23, 2006 11:47 AM


May 10, 2006 MLB Giving Medical Coverage to Negro Leaguers, White Players Suing to Stop It Worst lawsuit ever? Negro Leagues players' payments upheld Major League Baseball is entitled to pay former Negro Leagues players $10,000 a year and provide medical coverage as compensation for their exclusion from the big leagues, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday, rejecting a reverse-discrimination suit from a group of white ex-players. The medical program was established in 1993 and the income program in 1997 for players who were in the Negro Leagues in 1947 or earlier, before Jackie Robinson broke the major league color line. It covered players who had spent at least part of four seasons in professional baseball, including the Negro Leagues, but had not played long enough in the major leagues to qualify for medical or pension benefits. Before 1980, players needed four or five years in the majors. About two dozen former Negro Leagues players are collecting benefits under the two programs, said Richard Levin, a spokesman for the major leagues. The programs were challenged in 2003 by Mike Colbern, a Chicago White Sox catcher in 1978-79, on behalf of a group of white retirees who had played too briefly to qualify for pre-1980 medical or pension benefits. Claiming racial discrimination, they sought equal benefits for themselves. Upholding a federal judge's dismissal of the suit, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said baseball had legitimate reasons to limit the program to those who had been barred because of their race... Posted by jsmooth995 at May 10, 2006 1:09 PM Comments Incomplete info, though. Based on the wording "a group of white retirees who had played too briefly to qualify for pre-1980 medical or pension benefits. Claiming racial discrimination, they sought equal benefits for themselves." ... it sounds like perhaps all Negro League players are eligibile, no matter how briefly they played, while MLB players have a tenure requirement. If that's the case, it's basically organized as reparations and not equal treatment. Posted by: Joe Grossberg at May 10, 2006 3:13 PM The article (third paragraph) specifies that not all Negro League players are eligible, only those who were professional players in four or more seasons, which is the same amount of time white players needed for MLB benefits.. Posted by: Jay Smooth at May 10, 2006 3:30 PM Yeah, then WTF? (And RTFA, Joe!) Posted by: Joe Grossberg at May 10, 2006 6:02 PM How did I miss this? Posted by: Rachel S at May 10, 2006 9:24 PM Jay, I think you headline is a little bit inaccurate. According to the article, the white players are not suing in order to end payments for black players, they are "seeking equal benefits for themselves." How does it harm black players if these whites are paid as well? I assume it would benefit black players--those similarly situated to the whites who sued, having played MBL but not establishing the tenure to get benefits. Posted by: asmile at May 11, 2006 8:41 PM The rules currently state that if you played MLB before 1980 you had to play in 4 seasons in order to get these benefits. There are less than 24 players from the Negro Leagues who played in at least 4 seasons who receive these benefits. These white players are all players who played before 1980 and played in fewer than 4 seasons. The judge in the case said that no unfair treatment is given to the players from the Negro Leagues and even if there was unfair treatment MLB is entitled to make up for past injustices. Here's another link with more info. Posted by: Cinnamon at May 15, 2006 2:29 AM Shouldn't these men have received retro pay once the vesting requirements changed? What about the fact that baseball continutes to use the names and stats of these players without their consent ? no one even touch on the fact that these men will live in pain for the rest of their lives due to the injuries they sustained playing the game ! MLB SUCKS !!! 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