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Michael Weiner (executive)

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Michael Weiner
4th Executive Director of the Major League Baseball Players Association
In office
June 22, 2009 – November 21, 2013
Preceded byDonald Fehr
Succeeded byTony Clark
Personal details
Born(1961-12-21)December 21, 1961
Paterson, New Jersey, U.S.
DiedNovember 21, 2013(2013-11-21) (aged 51)
Mansfield Township, New Jersey, U.S.
SpouseDiane Margolin
Children3
Alma materWilliams College
Harvard Law School
OccupationSports players union executive, lawyer

Michael S. Weiner (December 21, 1961 – November 21, 2013) was an American attorney who served as the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association for four years. He assumed the role on June 22, 2009, replacing Donald Fehr, becoming only the fifth executive director of the union. Weiner joined the organization in September 1988 and had been general counsel since 2004.

Early life

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He was born in Paterson, New Jersey.[1] He moved to Pompton Lakes, New Jersey at the age of two and attended Pompton Lakes High School.[2] Weiner received his undergraduate degree in political economy from Williams College in 1983. He graduated from Harvard Law School in 1986.

Career

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From 1986 to 1988, Michael served as law clerk to H. Lee Sarokin, then United States District Court Judge, in Newark, New Jersey.[3]

With Weiner at the helm, the union signed an agreement in November 2011 for a five-year contract running until December 2016, which ensured 21 consecutive years of labor peace in Major League Baseball. The agreement allowed for blood testing for human growth hormone, introduced restraints on bonuses for amateur draft picks and international signings, and restored salary arbitration eligibility for part of a class of players that lost it in the 1980s.[4]

Personal life and death

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A resident of Mansfield Township, Warren County, New Jersey, Weiner was an active congregant of the Jewish Center of Northwest Jersey in Warren County[5]

Weiner was diagnosed with a brain tumor in August 2012,[6][7] and died 15 months later, on November 21, 2013. He was 51 years old.[8] He was succeeded by his deputy, Tony Clark, the first former Major League Baseball player to lead the union. He was survived by his wife, the former Diane Margolin, and three daughters, Margie, Grace and Sally.

References

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  1. ^ Crasnick, Jerry (2009-06-29). "'Regular genius' to be next union chief". USA Today. Retrieved 2020-06-23.
  2. ^ Graziano, Dan. "N.J. native Michael Weiner in line to become head of MLBPA" NewJerseyNewsroom.com, June 26, 2009, backed up by the Internet Archive as of August 10, 2011. Accessed May 24, 2011. "Weiner's New Jersey roots run deep. He was born on Dec. 21, 1961 in Paterson, where his mother and father were raised and went to high school. The family moved to Pompton Lakes when Weiner was two years old, and he went to high school there."
  3. ^ "Michael Weiner, Executive Director". Major League Baseball . Retrieved 2012-08-29.
  4. ^ "Michael Weiner, MLB Players' Union Head, Treated For Brain Tumor". ESPN. 21 August 2012. Retrieved 2020-06-23.
  5. ^ McCullough, Andy. "Michael Weiner, battling inoperable brain tumor, continues to draw people together", The Star-Ledger, January 6, 2013. Accessed May 3, 2015.
  6. ^ Shaikin, Bill (2012-08-21). "Baseball union chief Michael Weiner being treated for brain tumor". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2020-06-24.
  7. ^ Snyder, Matt (21 August 2012). "MLBPA executive director Michael Weiner has brain tumor". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  8. ^ "Michael Weiner, head of MLB players' union, dies at 51". New York Post. November 22, 2013.
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