Tony La Russa, Twitter reach settlement

ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa and Twitter have reached a settlement in his lawsuit against the social networking site.

La Russa said Friday that Twitter has agreed to pay legal fees and make a donation to his Animal Rescue Foundation. The organization is likely to take control of the name www.twitter.com/TonyLaRussa.

“There is a law against improperly using a person’s name without authorization and it wasn’t authorized,” La Russa said. “You can’t sue everybody for criticizing you, but it seemed like that was the perception. It was improper use of the name, but it’s been settled.”

La Russa is founder and chairman of ARF, an organization in northern California that finds homes for pets. He said the donation was not going to be “too ridiculous.”

La Russa filed suit last month in the Superior Court of California. He sought unspecified damages, claiming an unauthorized page that used his name caused emotional distress by making light of the manager’s DUI charge and two Cardinals pitchers who died in recent seasons.

The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.