It's amazing to me that current ballplayers and/or the Union wouldn't step in and create a fund that would take care of these men's (and their wives) hospital bills. The Union could rake less than 1% of salaries and make it happen. I wonder how many current major leaguers had fathers, grandfathers, uncles, great uncles, etc. who played in the Negro Leagues. This is a tragedy that could be pretty easily fixed.
Truly sad. That said, it is difficult to try to correct the wrong from a legal/technical angle. Negro Leagues are a defunct league that has no legal connection with MLB. Seperate entities. To support Negro League players and families would be charitable, yes, but isn't obligated by any current standard. Still it would be a smooth PR move and frankly would be just plain nice to see. I wouldn't hold my breath though. I think it would also take far less than 1% of salaries. A-Rod could do it himself. We're not manufacturing millionaires, here. Do minor leaguers get a pension? I don't know.
Negro Leagues are a defunct league that has no legal connection with MLB. Technically true but the Negro Leagues only existed at all because of racial discrimination. One would think that most of their players would have had a decent shot at major or top minor league ball otherwise. And how many of these guys are still alive that the cost would be more than a couple of quarters rubbed together?
Exactly Billy - five years from now will be too late. There are only som many ex-players left. However, While the Negro Leagues existed because of racism - so did countless other businesses and organizations that aren't given the attention that the NL gets. Unions, trades and entire operations suffered the same origin and eventually the same fate becuase society started to integrate. Perhaps it is an unfortuante side-effect of a society that started to grow up and heal. Just another way of looking at it, maybe.
