COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Baseball icon Buck O'Neil gets his spot in the Hall of Fame with a Lifetime Achievement Award created in his memory and a life-sized statue of him.

The 6-foot bronze statue that will greet Hall of Fame visitors is being unveiled Friday at the famed museum in Cooperstown, N.Y. O'Neil died at 94 in 2006, months after falling two votes shy of induction to the Hall during a special election.

He was a star in the Negro Leagues and the first black coach in the majors. He managed the Kansas City Monarchs to five championships.

O'Neil's brother, Warren O'Neil, will accept the award in his brother's honor at Sunday's induction ceremony. The award will be presented every three years to honor someone whose life on and off the baseball field is comparable to O'Neil's.

Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com