More than two dozen players from the old Negro Leagues will receive pensions from a charitable fund to be established by Major League Baseball, a source told AP.
The 27 players all played part of at least four seasons after Jackie Robinson broke major league baseball's color barrier in 1947. A management source, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the agreement on Saturday. Details are expected to be announced on Monday.
The agreement was first reported by The Washington Post. Players will have the option of getting US$833.33 per month for four years -- a rate of US$10,000 per year -- or US$375 a month for life.
"That's great. Good for them," said former Negro Leagues player Buck O'Neil, chairman of the Negro Leagues museum in Kansas City. "They deserved to get something."
In March, commissioner Bud Selig told Senator Bill Nelson that a proposal would be made to cover players left out of a Negro Leagues pension fund created in 1997. That agreement set up annual pensions of US$7,500 to US$10,000 for players who spent a total of four years in the majors or Negro Leagues, including at least one day in the big leagues, after 1947.
The players affected by the new agreement did not play in the majors. Nelson had said these players did not get a full chance to make it because, even after Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers, not every team was integrated until the Boston Red Sox became the last club with a black player in 1959.
"Not every team thought it needed a black ballplayer right away," O'Neil said. "The New York Yankees didn't until they got Elston Howard. The Red Sox didn't, either."
Howard began playing for the Yankees in 1955. Pumpsie Green joined the Red Sox four years later.
"The older guys before Jackie, they never had a chance. Josh Gibson, myself, others. Baseball was segregated," O'Neil said.
American League
Dan Wilson hit a pair of three-run doubles and the Seattle Mariners overcame two homers by Alex Rodriguez to snap a six-game losing streak and beat the Yankees 13-7 in 13 innings on Saturday.
Scott Spiezio broke a 7-all tie with a two-run double. After blowing leads of 4-0 and 7-4, the Mariners put the game away by scoring six times in the 13th against Gabe White (0-1). Eddie Guardado (1-0) worked two scoreless innings.
Rodriguez had his first multihomer game for the Yankees. The Yankees hit a season-high five homers -- four off Jamie Moyer. Gary Sheffield, Hideki Matsui and Bernie Williams also connected for New York.
Red Sox 4, Blue Jays 0
In Toronto, Bronson Arroyo allowed three hits in eight scoreless innings, Kevin Youkilis homered for his first major league hit and the Boston Red Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays.
Mark Bellhorn and David Ortiz also homered for the Red Sox.
Arroyo (2-1) allowed Eric Hinske's singles in the second and the fourth, and Chris Gomez's triple in the third. Pat Hentgen (2-3) took the loss.
Youkilis, recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket before the game, went 2-for-4 in his major league debut.
Twins 4, White Sox 1
In Chicago, Torii Hunter homered twice and had four hits to help Seth Greisinger get his first win in two years.
Hunter singled, doubled and hit solo homers in the sixth and ninth innings for the Twins. His first homer of the night was the 100th of his career.
Greisinger (1-2) earned his first win since May 19, 2002, for Detroit against Texas. The right-hander missed the 2000 and 2001 seasons after elbow ligament replacement surgery and spent last year in the minors. He allowed four hits, including Frank Thomas' seventh homer, in a season-best seven-inning outing.
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