Reparations-Baseball

I would think that baseball would be considered more of a private industry than a public one ... and certain it is not under government control.

At the time of the discrimination, laws did not exist on the books for private industry matters, so I doubt that it constituted a breaking of any laws.

But then again .... I really don't have the slightest clue!

Black by Nature, Proud by Choice.

Private isntitutions cannot erect illegal laws. Private institutions still have to obey pulbic laws.

true but the laws at that time allowed for segregation...Plessy v. Ferguson... separate but equal...Even though African Americans could not play white baseball, they still made a living playing "Negro Baseball", often playing in the major league parks.

The Negro leagues offered inferior pay. Segregation itself infringes on the 13th & 14th amendments to the constitution. The link can be made between mlbs policy and unfair labor practices, and hence legal grounds to seek restitution

I won't disagree with you about whether is it was unconstitutional or not...but for the laws of the time, and how they were supported by the Supreme Court...separate but equal was the law of the land. No one in those days made a lot of money playing baseball, nowhere near what they are making today. I will grant white players did make more money...but the Negro players also played ball in the Caribbean and Mexico, at which white players didn't do. MLB was no different than any other institution at that time, Blacks were restricted from earning money in all endeavors of life, as well as getting a good eduation or place to life. MBL was a reflection of life in general.

Blaqfist,

Thought you might be interested, there was an articale in today's paper concerning including Negro League players in MLB pension play. MLB doesn't want to pay it, of course, but it'll only cost $3M to start and $410K a year to maintain. The parameters are to include any Negro League player who played 4 years or more. A couple of arguments is that this threshold will let white players in who could also benefit, who have a $1B lawsuit. There are also some Negro League players protesting because who really is a Negro League player, since the league disbanded in 1948. Any playing after that is not considered a Negro League player, so it seems.