Sir Don Bradman 'Mickey Mouse' case settled

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA // A settlement was reached today over the use of Sir Donald Bradman's name and image, after his son said he feared the cricket legend was being turned into a "brand name like Mickey Mouse".

Executors of the Bradman estate accused law firm Allens Arthur Robinson — responsible for managing the "intellectual property" of his name and image — of negligence in allowing him to be "exploited" by the Bradman Foundation.

Son John Bradman's displeasure became public in 2005 when the foundation licensed an Australian food company to market "Bradman" chocolate chip cookies in India.

At the time, the family described Bradman as "a loved and missed family member, not a brand name like Mickey Mouse".

The Adelaide Advertiser said lawyers for the Bradman family and Allens Arthur Robinson reached a confidential out-of-court agreement today ahead of a scheduled trial in the South Australian Supreme Court.

"This has been a long running matter which has been very important to the Bradman family and we are very pleased with the outcome," John Bradman told reporters outside the court.

The Bradman Foundation operates the official Bradman museum, in his home town of Bowral, and sells memorabilia such as signed cricket bats and placemats showing scorecards of his six best innings.

Bradman, widely considered the greatest cricketer of all-time, retired in 1948 with a Test average of 99.94. He died in 2001, aged 92.