New York — Donald Fehr’s quarter century in charge of the players’ association was marked by a strike that canceled the World Series, record salaries and eventually 14 years of labor peace.

And to his detractors, it was marred by a go-slow approach to steroids.

Fehr, who turns 61 next month, said Monday he will leave the powerful union no later than the end of March. Fehr recommended that he be succeeded by union general counsel Michael Weiner, the No. 3 official and his longtime heir apparent. The move is subject to approval by the union’s executive board and possible ratification by all players.

“I have no hesitancy in recommending to the players that he be given the opportunity to do this job,” Fehr said.

The 47-year-old Weiner will lead negotiations for the next contract; the current labor agreement expires in December 2011.

Weiner and Steve Fehr, the union leader’s brother, were the primary day-to-day negotiators of labor contracts in 2002 and 2006, baseball’s first since 1970 that were achieved without a work stoppage.

“I think I have some sense of what I’m getting into,” Weiner said.

As part of the succession plan, Weiner met Monday in the union’s conference room with Fehr and the 92-year-old Marvin Miller, Fehr’s predecessor.

“I think that he’s a bright guy,” Miller said in a telephone interview. “He’s certainly not lacking in experience. He’s got the background for it.”

Players, concentrating on the economics, always backed Fehr.

“He’d talk like a lawyer, but in the same sense, he would also slow it down and explain it for us,” Colorado’s Todd Helton said.

MLB

Reds SS has surgery

Cincinnati — Reds shortstop Alex Gonzalez had surgery to remove four bone chips in his right elbow.

Gonzalez is expected to miss four to five weeks.

Gonzalez went on the 15-day disabled list on Saturday, a day after he felt pain on a swing during batting practice. He was batting .214 with two homers and 20 RBIs.

Mets shelve Beltran

New York — Carlos Beltran was placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday, an enormous blow to a struggling New York Mets team already decimated by key injuries.

The All-Star center fielder has an aching bone bruise on his right knee, and it’s possible he could miss even more than 15 days.

Yankees file protest

New York — The New York Yankees have filed an official protest with the commissioner’s office, one day after a disputed loss to the Florida Marlins.

New York manager Joe Girardi protested Sunday’s 6-5 loss at Florida because of a Marlins substitution mix-up in the eighth inning. Teams have 24 hours after a game to submit an official protest, and MLB spokesman Pat Courtney confirmed Monday that the Yankees met the deadline.

NBA

Report: Pistons reject trade

The Boston Celtics were willing to trade Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen to Detroit for Tayshaun Prince, Richard Hamilton and Rodney Stuckey, but the Pistons immediately rejected the trade, according to a Yahoo! Sports report.

Yahoo reported Boston GM Danny Ainge and Detroit’s Joe Dumars never spoke. The Celtics had a lower-level executive make the pitch to a Pistons official.

Clippers keeping No. 1 pick

Los Angeles — The Clippers remain intent on keeping the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, and they’re expected to make Oklahoma’s Blake Griffin the top selection.

“The pick’s not going anywhere,” assistant general manager Neil Olshey said Monday.

Coach and general manager Mike Dunleavy said he hasn’t spoken to anyone seriously about trading the pick in more than two weeks. He and Olshey haven’t ruled out the possibility of acquiring another pick on or before Thursday’s draft.

Williams to remain free

Somerville, N.J. — Retired NBA star Jayson Williams will remain free on bail after a judge on Monday rejected a prosecutor’s request to revoke the bail and send him to prison for covering up the shooting of a hired driver more than seven years ago.

Golf

Golfer’s wife killed in crash

South Bend, Ind. — PGA Tour officials confirmed Monday that the wife of golfer Chris Smith was killed and two of his children were critically injured in a fiery weekend crash that also hurt several members of the London (Ontario) Silverbacks football team.

“All of us at the PGA Tour are saddened by the news of the tragic accident which claimed the life of Beth Smith,” PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Chris and his family during this very difficult time.”

College basketball

OSU releases schedule

Stillwater, Okla. — Oklahoma State will play road games at Tulsa and Stanford and appear in the Las Vegas Invitational during the upcoming basketball season.

OSU released the nonconference portion of its schedule on Monday. The Cowboys will have eight home games, including four to open the season against Seattle, Southern, North Texas and Prairie View A&M.

Ex-USC player arrested

Los Angeles — Police in Los Angeles say former Southern California basketball player Stais Boseman was arrested for allegedly taking part in a carjacking.

Police spokeswoman April Harding says the 35-year-old Boseman was taken into custody about 3 a.m. Sunday in South Los Angeles and booked for investigation of carjacking. He was being held in lieu of more than $111,000 bail.

Tulsa, Wojcik agree

Tulsa, Okla. — Doug Wojcik agreed to a six-year contract to remain Tulsa’s basketball coach.

Athletic director Bubba Cunningham said the deal would add a two-year extension to Wojcik’s previous contract and run through the 2014-15 season. Because Tulsa is a private school, other details of the contract were not revealed.

College football

Kelly earns extension

Cincinnati — Cincinnati has given football coach Brian Kelly a contract extension, adding a year at nearly $1.5 million.

The school said Monday that Kelly is guaranteed $1.475 million to coach the Bearcats through the 2013 season.

Tennis

Federer cruises

Wimbledon, England — The new roof wasn’t tested. Roger Federer was — briefly.

The retractable roof stayed open Monday at Wimbledon, and Federer fell behind early in the opening match on Centre Court before charging past Yen-hsun Lu of Taiwan, 7-5, 6-3, 6-2.

In his first match since winning the French Open, Federer failed to convert his first four break-point chances, then lost serve to trail 3-2. But he broke in the final game of the opening set and dominated from there. Federer won for the 41st time in his past 42 matches at the All England Club.

Sharapova, Williams advance

Wimbledon, England — Maria Sharapova lost four consecutive games at one point, was broken five times and generally seemed on the verge of losing control at Wimbledon. The 2004 champion managed to steady herself just enough to get past qualifier Viktoriya Kutuzova of Ukraine 7-5, 6-4.

Playing second on Centre Court was Serena Williams, who lost only nine points on her serve and beat qualifier Neuza Silva 6-1, 7-5. The No. 2-seeded Williams, runner-up to her sister Venus a year ago, improved to 5-5 since starting the year 21-2.

NFL

Estefan, Dolphins partners

The Dolphins are merging with Miami Sound Machine and Margaritaville.

Singer Gloria Estefan and her husband, producer Emilio Estefan, are buying a “very small” ownership stake in the NFL team, a person familiar with the deal said Monday.

Glover retires

St. Louis — La’Roi Glover, a six-time Pro Bowl selection at defensive tackle who once led the NFL in sacks, announced his retirement Monday after 13 seasons.

Glover, who turns 35 on July 4, spent the past three seasons with St. Louis. He was not re-signed following the 2008 season, when he had 30 tackles and half of a sack. The Rams offered no comment.