Owners Given Mandate to Pursue More Minorities

Commissioner Bud Selig ordered baseball owners to give him their list of candidates for future job openings in five positions, including general manager and manager, in an effort to increase minority hiring, The New York Times reported today.

Selig sent a letter to owners after being pushed by National League President Leonard Coleman and Hall of Famer Frank Robinson to take steps to increase the number of blacks and Hispanics hired for major jobs, the Times reported.

“If a club has an opening in any of these positions, the club owner must notify me personally,” Selig said in the letter obtained by the paper. “In addition, your list of candidates must be provided to me. I expect the list to include minority candidates whom you and your staff have identified. I will provide assistance to you if you cannot identify candidates on your own.”

Selig added that he would discipline clubs that did not “aggressively pursue equal opportunities and initiatives.”

Selig acknowledged writing the letter to owners but declined to comment further to the paper.

The positions he listed in his letter were manager, general manager, assistant general manager and directors of player development and scouting.

There are currently no minority general managers, and only one of the last 36 managerial openings has been filled by a minority--Jerry Manuel of the Chicago White Sox. Manuel is one of three minority managers.