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"Blackout" in Major League Baseball

Discussion in 'Sports Forum' started by Ps104_33, Mar 28, 2004.

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  1. Ps104_33

    Ps104_33 New Member

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    There is an interesting article in todays Tampa Tribune about the dwindling numbers of African Americans in major league baseball and it seems to have players and the commission stumped. Also, being from Philadelphia most of my life I would occasionally comment on the very very small amount of black faces I would see at Veteran's stadium while watching the Phils. It seems that African Americans kids are losing interest in baseball for basketball and football.
    Alot of the African-American superstars in the majors today are second generation. (Griffey, Bonds, Darren Oliver, Tim RainesJr. etc.)
    The article states that "the number of African American players in the game has nosedived to levels not seen since the earliest days of integration"
    The piece give many theories and opinions as to why this is taking place. What are your thoughts?

    I tried to post the URL for the article but I couldnt seem to find it online. It was written by Gordon Wittenmyer for Knight-Ridder Newspapers.
     
    #1 Ps104_33, Mar 28, 2004
  2. Ps104_33

    Ps104_33 New Member

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    #2 Ps104_33, Mar 28, 2004
  3. Mike McK

    Mike McK New Member

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    That's really interesting since I just saw a similar article in the Philadelphia Weekly.

    Basically, the conclusion that they came to was that baseball is losing popularity with blacks because where most blacks live, it's easier to put in a basketball court than it is to build and maintain and baseball field and fewer balck children are becoming exposed to baseball.
     
    #3 Mike McK, Mar 28, 2004
  4. Ps104_33

    Ps104_33 New Member

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    How would you account for all the black players in the past?
     
    #4 Ps104_33, Mar 28, 2004
  5. dianetavegia

    dianetavegia Guest

    Anyone could play baseball in the past. You didn't need a fancy court or special shoes, just a stick and a ball. Even poor kids could play. Now the after school programs are generally held in complexes with basketball courts.

    How many black hockey players can you name? Only those with a pretty good income can afford to play hockey as a child.

    Diane
     
    #5 dianetavegia, Mar 28, 2004
  6. Ps104_33

    Ps104_33 New Member

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    I can understand the lack of black hockey players since the sport originated in Canada. I can also, before Tiger Woods, understand the lack of black golfers since it is for the most part a "rich man's" sport. But there are still plenty of black neighborhoods in the rural south where black kids can play baseball. Baseball is one of the onbly sports that draft kids right out of high school and yet basketball where they draft out of college seems to be the sport of choice for black youth. Does anyone know if inner city high schools have baseball programs?
     
    #6 Ps104_33, Mar 28, 2004
  7. go2church

    go2church Active Member
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    Baseball is expensive to play and doesn' generate the type of income that football and basketball do on the college level. So there are less schools playing baseball, so there are less players coming from those areas that are economically disadvantaged, at this time that would be areas that are more African-American. Also there is the longer careers of baseball players that "hamper" the rise of young baseball players, unless there are pitchers. Young athletic players can make it faster in football and basketball, so that is where they are going.
     
    #7 go2church, Mar 28, 2004
  8. Jude

    Jude <img src=/scott3.jpg>

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    Baseball: fun to play, boring to watch.
     
    #8 Jude, Mar 29, 2004
  9. Alcott

    Alcott Well-Known Member
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    No, that's golf.
     
    #9 Alcott, Mar 31, 2004
  10. ChurchBoy

    ChurchBoy New Member

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    About a year ago Sports Illustrated had an excellent article on the declining number of African-American players. The number peaked in the late 70s at 27% of all players. It is now down to 10%
     
    #10 ChurchBoy, Apr 1, 2004
  11. Gershom

    Gershom Active Member

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    I love both watching and playing baseball and golf.

    Now hockey... I'd rather paint the house.
     
    #11 Gershom, Apr 3, 2004
  12. Ps104_33

    Ps104_33 New Member

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    How about soccer. Rather watch grass grow.
     
    #12 Ps104_33, Apr 4, 2004
  13. mark

    mark <img src =/mark.gif>

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    I saw a program on ESPN about this. My question is why is MLB so upset about it. 10% of Major Leaguers are black (non-hispanic). 11% of America is Black non-hispanic. Why isn't the NBA upset that there aren't more white players? The numbers are much more disproportionate there.
     
    #13 mark, Apr 4, 2004
  14. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    You have a point, Mark. But parity in races to sports is not the goal of the social revisionists.

    Remember the motto I learned from my student days in Moscow - "we are all equal, but some are more equal than others". [​IMG]
     
    #14 Dr. Bob, Apr 4, 2004
  15. Barnabas H.

    Barnabas H. <b>Oldtimer</b>

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    I don't know about you Brother Jude, but at my age, I'll rather watch! [​IMG] :rolleyes: [​IMG]
     
    #15 Barnabas H., Apr 6, 2004
  16. FriendofSpurgeon

    FriendofSpurgeon Well-Known Member
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    I've read similar articles in the Miami Herald and in Sports Illustrated. What they seem to miss is the increasing number of Hispanics and Asians now playing in the Major Leagues. On our world champion Marlins last year, the starting nine normally consisted of: two African Americans, two Anglos (white, non-hispanic), and five Hispanics. We have one less African American this year, as we traded first baseman Derick Lee for Korean Hee Sop Choi.
     
    #16 FriendofSpurgeon, Apr 6, 2004
  17. Jude

    Jude <img src=/scott3.jpg>

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    No, that's golf. </font>[/QUOTE]Guess you didn't watch the Masters...
     
    #17 Jude, Apr 12, 2004
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