black ballplayers

[circusmaximus]

There has been a lot of discussion lately about the declining numbers of African-Americans in the Major Leagues. It makes sense for people to be alarmed, since about 27% of players were black around the '70s and in recent years its only 10%. The biggest factor IMO is that society has changed and more of them are drawn to football and basketball, since both sports are deeply connected to the hip-hop culture. Still, I can't help but notice the success of guys like Dontrelle Willis and Ryan Howard, so there is hope for some resurgence....

[Rookie1914]

There has been a lot of discussion lately about the declining numbers of African-Americans in the Major Leagues. It makes sense for people to be alarmed, since about 27% of players were black around the '70s and in recent years its only 10%. The biggest factor IMO is that society has changed and more of them are drawn to football and basketball, since both sports are deeply connected to the hip-hop culture. Still, I can't help but notice the success of guys like Dontrelle Willis and Ryan Howard, so there is hope for some resurgence....

I don't pay attention to the color of players. I just enjoy the games. I think it's great that we are getting more Latinos and Asians playing the game of baseball here is the US. That is why you are seeing more blacks and whites percentages declining. It's great for the game. Go Ichiro!

[SamtheBravesFan]

There has been a lot of discussion lately about the declining numbers of African-Americans in the Major Leagues. It makes sense for people to be alarmed, since about 27% of players were black around the '70s and in recent years its only 10%. The biggest factor IMO is that society has changed and more of them are drawn to football and basketball, since both sports are deeply connected to the hip-hop culture. Still, I can't help but notice the success of guys like Dontrelle Willis and Ryan Howard, so there is hope for some resurgence....

Oh yeah? I'm disappointed in you for getting your underwear in a knot for something so trivial. It doesn't matter. No one should look at ballplayers by the color of their skin. Ever.

EDIT: Why? It creates needless hand-wringing and whining: "Oh, why oh why are there so few black starting pitchers? Why are blacks in the major leagues declining? Why aren't they going to games?" It's pointless.

[Brannu]

The biggest factor IMO is that society has changed and more of them are drawn to football and basketball, since both sports are deeply connected to the hip-hop culture.

This subject has been talked a lot on baseball fever ... so, I'm not going to say much. However, what I will say is that hip-hop culture has zero, zilch, nada - to do with it. Hip-Hop culture is big around the globe and well beyond the African-American community. Being drawn to football and basketall has more to do with marketing, faster track to money (which is important when you are steeped in poverty) and the absence of baseball fields in the inner-city and the accessibility of basketball courts. Plus ... as the networks, newspapers and radio is telling everyone about how poor this World Series ratings are ... it's also about popularity and the ill perception that baseball is boring.

On MLB Radio this morning they were talking about how if the worst football game of the week was on last night ... it would have gotten better ratings than game 3 of The WS. Baseball just isn't as popular ... ESPECIALLY with inner-city youth. Half the youth of today have ADD/ADHD ... they can barely attend to themselves let alone the intricacies of a baseball game.

[Elvis]

I don't care what color, race, creed, sexual orientation a player is, nor what percentages are represented. I don't care that there are very few white's and hispanics playing in the NBA either. The more we (media very much included) continue to harp on race, and make special mention of someone's race when they're a "minority", the further away the day will be when we don't notice such differences anymore. When I continually hear things like, "The first black/latino/asian to to such and such a thing", I cringe because continually pointing out the differences in race itself perpetuates racism.

[hudsonharden]

I don't pay attention to the color of players. I just enjoy the games. I think it's great that we are getting more Latinos and Asians playing the game of baseball here is the US. That is why you are seeing more blacks and whites percentages declining. It's great for the game. Go Ichiro!

Yeah, but African Americans have such a rich history of baseball; they've been playing the game as long was White Americans have. I, for one, would like to see baseball being promoted in more urban areas.

[circusmaximus]

Sorry if I upset anyone, I'm happy to see more ethnic diversity in baseball than ever before. I just meant to say that even though a lot of people talk about there not being very many black ballplayers anymore, there are at least several of them that stand out right now. To tell you the truth, one of my greatest wishes is that the infusion of all the foreign talent will someday make the World Baseball Classic bigger than the World Cup. Every country needs to quit kicking those stupid soccer balls around and play a real sport like baseball!!!

[Yankee Legend]

My opinion is that in many issues concerning race in and outside of sports we should look beyond racial and ethnic differences. Ballplayers are ballplayers. There are no policies practiced by leagues or ballclubs (official or unofficial) that impede any ballplayer from playing. That's all that matters.

[Rookie1914]

...There are no policies practiced by leagues or ballclubs (official or unofficial) that impede any ballplayer from playing. That's all that matters.

There are no "written policies", but the NFL is a gray area when it comes to hiring head coaches. I know this is not baseball, but he mentioned "leagues". I don't want us to start talking about the NFL. Thanks.

[west coast orange and black]

first “i don't pay attention to the color of players.” then: “I think it's great that we are getting more latinos and asians playing the game of baseball here is the us.”
how would one know that more latinos and asians are playing in the us unless one looked at, um… the skin color of the players?

.. .. .. ..

circusmaximus asked about the steep decline of blacks in baseball, not “first” achievements, nor “racial and ethnic differences”. just because baseball policies do not preclude any individual or an individual from a particular group does not mean that the discussion needs to end at that point. for many, the declining number of blacks in the game is a very serious issue.

the game currently gets broken down into seemingly endless categories without much complaint:
lefty v righty
inducing ground ball v flyouts
win shares
pinch-hitting after the 6th inning on artificial surface in a day game that follows a night game against a pitcher whose whip his past 3 starts is less than 1.15
surely there is room for the question of the declining number of players who are black. no?

“it's pointless.”
“that's all that matters.”

i do not understand how, simply because the situation is inconsequential to him, it is claimed that the question is absolutely trivial and unworthy as a topic for all.

[DodgerBlue8188]

I notice that very few black peole I know watch baseball as much as I do. I really enjoy finding black people who like baseball as much as I do because it's so rare it seems these days. I live in a more suburban city too. We have plenty of little leagues and plenty of baseball fields. I just think that young black kids look up to football players and basketball players more. Also if you ever go to a highschool football game or basketball game you will usually see a good crowd, however, a baseball game will have less of a turnout. I think for many people baseball is just to boring.

While were talking about race how come nobody ever brings up how whites are declining in basketball and football? I remember hearing a black guy on a talkshow for sports say how they need more african americans playing baseball and I would not have been surprised (with his tone) if he was going to ask for AA to be placed in the major leagues. I wanted to call the show up and ask if the same should be done for the NBA and NFL regarding whites.

I'm not sure what statistics will show. But I would not be surprised if a slight decline in the major is also present with whites too. Seems like on some baseball teams whites are only representing maybe 60% of the team now. So many teams have hispanic players now. Lets not forget that every organization out there has a few asians as well.

[Elvis]

the game currently gets broken down into seemingly endless categories without much complaint:
lefty v righty
inducing ground ball v flyouts
win shares
pinch-hitting after the 6th inning on artificial surface in a day game that follows a night game against a pitcher whose whip his past 3 starts is less than 1.15

surely there is room for the question of the declining number of players who are black. no?


Apples and oranges.

----

Unless blacks, or anyone else, are being kept from playing baseball by anything other than their own free will to not do so, what's the concern? There are very few hispanics in the NBA even though there are more hispanics in the US than blacks. Is this a concern too? Why should we care? Whomever wants to play ball will play ball. Whomever doesn't want to do so, likewise, will not. What's the fuss?

[west coast orange and black]

apples and oranges
re fruit: my point is that if things can be discussed ad nauseum, why not people and societal issues that relate to baseball?


unless blacks or anyone else ... what's the concern?
so, i can expect to see you post this same in each and every "who is better: this guy or that" thread? i mean, what really does matter, in the end? why not simply post the scores and leave it at that?


What's the fuss?
fuss is needless or useless. fuss is trifle and unimportant.
why not simply allow those who wish to discuss do so without ridicule?

[Old Sweater]

Hey now, on the up side of things, the baseball cap is more popular then ever in the inner-city. At least here in Denver it is.

I've said for years that soccer was robbing from little league and that basketball and football was taking away lots of athletes from baseball in high school and college.

[Imapotato]

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

How many times are we going to discuss this asinine topic?

What about the lower % of WHITE ballplayers in the league compared to the 70's?

[VTSoxFan]

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

How many times are we going to discuss this asinine topic?

What about the lower % of WHITE ballplayers in the league compared to the 70's?

What is asinine to you may be food for though and discussion for others. There are new members on the boards who may not had participated in previous discussions, and might have fresh perspectives to contribute.

If it bothers you that much, you don't have to read the thread.

[west coast orange and black]

imapotato: What about the lower % of WHITE ballplayers in the league compared to the 70's?

go for it, man.

[Mattingly]

Unless blacks, or anyone else, are being kept from playing baseball by anything other than their own free will to not do so, what's the concern? There are very few hispanics in the NBA even though there are more hispanics in the US than blacks. Is this a concern too? Why should we care? Whomever wants to play ball will play ball. Whomever doesn't want to do so, likewise, will not. What's the fuss?
More like it's a thread to discuss why people of a certain heritage choose one particular sport to play over another. If people enjoy one sport and identify with it, it's more likely that's what they'll end up playing.

There have been studies done on many groups, finding out why they work for (employment), play (recreation), enjoy certain sports rather than others. If people wish to include the factors, I say let them.

I don't know why there are more Hispanics in the MLB than blacks, nor why there are more blacks in the NBA & NFL than Hispanics. Things just worked out that way. If people wish to offer reasons why, I say that they go for it and do so without others trying to stifle the discussion.

[Elvis]

If people wish to offer reasons why, I say that they go for it and do so without others trying to stifle the discussion.

Whoa there Mattingly. I'm not trying to stifle this disscussion. On the contrary, I think it's a perfectly valid and fascinating topic - WHY there is a decline in American blacks in baseball. My "What's the fuss" statements have to do with the thinking that "something should/must be done about it". Ok?

[Elvis]

apples and oranges
re fruit: my point is that if things can be discussed ad nauseum, why not people and societal issues that relate to baseball?

Agreed, why not. That wasn't was I was refering to - see previous post.

unless blacks or anyone else ... what's the concern?
so, i can expect to see you post this same in each and every "who is better: this guy or that" thread? i mean, what really does matter, in the end? why not simply post the scores and leave it at that?

I don't post in those threads - no intrest. "Better" is pretty much subjective.

What's the fuss?
fuss is needless or useless. fuss is trifle and unimportant.
why not simply allow those who wish to discuss do so without ridicule?

Again you've missed it - I'm not against the discussion in any way shape or form. I am also not against the discussion or college courses on certain species of plants that go extinct in the natural world, but that doesn't mean I think it's a good idea to preserve said plants if they themselves are indifferent or have other plans. If American born blacks are by-and-large indifferent to baseball and hockey, or American-born whites are by-and-large indifferent to basketball or whatever, so be it. As Paul McCartney said, "Let it be". :D

[west coast orange and black]

Elvis: ...I cringe because continually pointing out the differences in race itself perpetuates racism.
see "anthropology", the science that deals with the origins, physical and cultural development, biological characteristics, and social customs and beliefs of humankind.


"better" is pretty much subjective.
so are the bbf topics that interest people. some mebers do not post in certain ones, f'rinstance.


I'm not against the discussion in any way shape or form.
"why should we care?"; "what's the concern?"; "what's the fuss?" were not taken to be invitations for discussion. but glad to see that you do not mind that others might wish to discuss.

[Elvis]

Elvis: ...I cringe because continually pointing out the differences in race itself perpetuates racism.
see "anthropology", the science that deals with the origins, physical and cultural development, biological characteristics, and social customs and beliefs of humankind.

WTH are you talking about? :)

"better" is pretty much subjective.
so are the bbf topics that interest people. some mebers do not post in certain ones, f'rinstance.

I'm just saying that threads like, "who was better: _______ or ______?" don't interest me.

I'm not against the discussion in any way shape or form.
"why should we care?"; "what's the concern?"; "what's the fuss?" were not taken to be invitations for discussion. but glad to see that you do not mind that others might wish to discuss.

You seem to think that it's impossible to discuss certain things without finding it nessesary to "fix" them. All those things you quoted were in regards to those that feel we need to "fix" the "problem" of the decline. I didn't mean in regards to the discussion of the origins of the declining statistics, which is an interesting topic.