Thoughts on Jackie Robinson Day

Also, why are we assuming all African Americans are living in the hood? Many live in suburbs too, so why aren't those interested in playing?
 
NYCBrave said:
Also, why are we assuming all African Americans are living in the hood? Many live in suburbs too, so why aren't those interested in playing?
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Jason Heyward's ostentatious apathy toward baseball has embarrassed the entire African-American community.
 
NYCBrave said:
The poverty rate for all African Americans in 2012 was 28.1% which is an increase from 25.5% in 2005.

Nice try
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So that much of a jump in seven years and the fact that more than one in four are living in poverty isn't significant?

Add to that most players who make it to the Big Leagues these days who are from America are playing baseball every weekend in the summer, several in the fall, winter and spring and traveling all over the place to do so. And gas, plus all the equipment, plus the fee to even play on the team costs money.
 
The Diamondbacks traded away a black guy and a white guy! In return they got a guy from Panama and Venezuela. Real racist.
 
An article I just came across said the league reported 8.3 percent of its players on opening day rosters were African-American. That would mean roughly 62 players, or about two per team. So it should be expected that a couple teams may not have any.
 
sturg33 said:
28% is nearly the double national average... that's not significant?
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He said a significant % of African Americans, which is a much different statement. And it's proven to be false.

By your guys comments, you'd think 95% of African Americans can't afford to play baseball.
 
sturg33 said:
Yeah - Rico's assertion that St Louis should be ashamed they don't have black players is kind of ridiculous.

It wasn't long ago that the Braves didn't have any... and the rainbow coalition went after them. Now they have a starting outfield that is 100% African american. The unfortunate part is, there just aren't that many to choose from.

And GF is right (gulp), baseball is just too darn expensive to play for inner city kids
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Among the posts I've seen is the projected number of blacks in MLB at 62 currently, which would stand to reason that several teams might have no one. But it's not like 62 positions is the quota of jobs allocated to black Americans. Saying there aren't that many to choose from presumes that all team scout all parts of the country equally.

There are a limited number of elite athletes who are good enough to play any sport. Several of the greatest black baseball players, such as Reggie Jackson and Delino DeShields, likely could have had pro careers in other sports. Bo and Michael, to differing extents, indicated that baseball might well have been their first love. Jackie Robinson could easily have been an NFL running back -- how might that have changed history?

It seems that some organizations make the effort to make baseball seem more desirable to black athletes who have options in other spots. The Phillies is a good example of that, don't you think?

Anyway, I thought this would be a good debate for Jackie Robinson Day. Good job by everyone kicking this around.
 
rico43 said:
Among the posts I've seen is the projected number of blacks in MLB at 62 currently, which would stand to reason that several teams might have no one. But it's not like 62 positions is the quota of jobs allocated to black Americans. Saying there aren't that many to choose from presumes that all team scout all parts of the country equally.

There are a limited number of elite athletes who are good enough to play any sport. Several of the greatest black baseball players, such as Reggie Jackson and Delino DeShields, likely could have had pro careers in other sports. Bo and Michael, to differing extents, indicated that baseball might well have been their first love. Jackie Robinson could easily have been an NFL running back -- how might that have changed history?

It seems that some organizations make the effort to make baseball seem more desirable to black athletes who have options in other spots. The Phillies is a good example of that, don't you think?

Anyway, I thought this would be a good debate for Jackie Robinson Day. Good job by everyone kicking this around.
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I think it's just random chance. The talent pool for professional black athletes isn't that big... Like a poster said earlier, are NBA teams racist if they don't have white players?
 
My question about Kolten Wong gets at another issue which has to do with the increasing number of Americans who are of mixed racial heritage and do not perceive themselves as white or black.
 
nsacpi said:
My question about Kolten Wong gets at another issue which has to do with the increasing number of Americans who are of mixed racial heritage and do not perceive themselves as white or black.
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Good point: my family is mixed with white, black and Cherokee Indian. Further, I must agree that the Cardinals have nothing to be ashamed of not currently having any black players. Same for the D'Backs though I understand why fellow Braves fans like to take shots at them (goes back to the Justin Upton trade, etc).

The focus shouldn't be on what race a player is but how well he plays ball.
 
I will reluctantly relate this story as part of this thread.

I have a friend who is a retired NFLer. Back in the early 80s he told me that young blacks do not strive for middle class. They either look for a mansion on the hill or stay in the hood. Education is not forefront in their thinking except as a way to the riches of professional sports. Basketball and football are quicker and more lucrative.

I dont know how much of this tale applies today but 20 years after the Civil RIghts Act it still seemed pertinent to my friend's associates. BTW, my friend is black and made it his lifes work to live and integrate a middle class neighborhood despite earning a NFL salary for several years.
 
gilesfan said:
You can play football with a few friends, only needing a football. You can play basetball only needing a park with a hoop. You kinda need a bat and a field and more than 2 guys to play baseball.
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Eh. When I was a kid I had a friend who lived next door. I had a decent sized front yard and when we couldn't round up any other kids in the neighborhood we'd get a five gallon bucket, fill it with every tennis ball and wiffle ball we could find (between the two of us) and play HR derby or some form of one-on-one baseball with a ****load of ghost runners. Confusing, sure, but it's doable. Not saying it's ideal for player development but it can be done with just two people.
 
I blame it on ESPN. What black players does ESPN talk about almost all the time LeBron James, Kapernick, RussellWilson, any running back in the NFL, most players in the NBA. They rarely get into baseball players other than Jeter and the Yankees it seems. Now with Tiger Woods in golf why are there not more black golfers on the PGA?

In terms of money making, baseball it tops, you can be mediocre and still make a lot of money, BUT it takes years to reach those levels. The plus side is you can do it a lot longer, in most cases, than in the other sports outside of golf. But today's kids see only instant gratification as the prize. Play basketball, or football get a scholarship to a major university to showcase your talent and within 2 years of college. if you are good, you can have the big money. So you get to be a millionaire by the time you are 20-21. Baseball, they sign you as a 18 YO, you go to Rookie, A, AA, AAA and them maybe the majors usually the time is roughly 5 years from signing to the majors, then another 3-5 years before you get into serious money. Football has me baffled, ranging from the injury risks to the short career time I do not understand the wanting to play it, but again 2 years out of highschool you can make big money. Your career will last on average 7 years total. Baseball you can play into your 40s, Basketball usually mid 30s in the end of the road.

You cannot change who plays what with programs, you have to have the press coverage to match, and until ESPN changes that, which won't happen, that is just the way it will be.

As for baseball being prominent in the Latin American countries and the number of those players, it is just like basketball and football was for the blacks, a quick way out of the poverty many grew up with and a sport that is played in almost every Latin American country. It is either baseball or it is soccer, which has a bigger ESPN presence............baseball.
 
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