Wee Willie
12-25-2006, 04:57 PM
Some of you might wonder if there's one place where you can get historical data on the percentage of African-American, Hispanic, or International players in MLB. To date, I haven't been able to find one, but the other day I did some research on different sites, and here is a list of all the years where I did find such data. It's interesting because it shows the integration trends and could be helpful in ascertaining league strength. This list is far from complete, and if someone can fill in some gaps, please do so. I'll start from the most recent:
2005 - 9% African-American, 29% Hispanic, 30% foreign-born, 25% born in Latin America
2004 - 9% African-American, 26% Hispanic, 29% foreign-born
2002 - 10% African-American, 28% Hispanic, 26% foreign-born
2001 - 13% African-American, 26% Hispanic, 25% foreign-born
2000 - 13% African-American, 26% Hispanic, 24% foreign-born
1999 - 13% African-American, 26% Hispanic
1998 - 15% African-American, 25% Hispanic
1997 - 17% African-American, 24% Hispanic
1996 - 17% African-American, 20% Hispanic
1995 - 19% African-American, 19% Hispanic
1994 - 18% African-American, 18% Hispanic
1993 - 16% African-American, 16% Hispanic
1992 - 17% African-American, 14% Hispanic
1991 - 18% African-American, 14% Hispanic
1990 - 17% African-American, 13% Hispanic, 10% foreign-born
1980 - 22% African-American, 12% Hispanic, 9% foreign-born
1977 - 25% African-American
1975 - 27% African-American, 7% foreign-born
1970 - 25% African-American, 10% foreign-born
1965 - 8% foreign-born
1960 - 4% foreign-born
1959 - 17% African-American (first year every team was integrated)
1955 - 5% foreign-born
1954 - 7% African-American
1950 - 2% African-American, 4% foreign-born
Below are the # of teams that were integrated on opening day each year from 1947 to 1960:
1947 - 1 (1 NL)
1948 - 3 (1 NL, 2 AL)
1949 - 3 (1 NL, 2 AL)
1950 - 5 (3 NL, 2 AL)
1951 - 5 (3 NL, 2 AL)
1952- 6 (3 NL, 3 AL)
1953 - 6 (3 NL, 3 AL)
1954 - 11 (7 NL, 4 AL)
1955 - 13 (7 NL, 6 AL)
1956 - 13 (7 NL, 6 AL)
1957 - 14 (8 NL, 6 AL) (1st year NL was completely integrated)
1958 - 14 (8 NL, 6 AL)
1959 - 15 (8 NL, 7 AL)
1960 - 1st year all of MLB integrated on opening day
This shows actually how slow MLB was to integrate, even after Robinson joined the Dodgers. Six years after 1947, most MLB teams still didn't have an African-American. 1954 was actually when integration started to really make headway, and it wasn't until six years AFTER that when all teams were integrated.
Brian McKenna
12-25-2006, 08:37 PM
Nice work - never seen as comprehensive a list.
How do you "ascertaining league strength" by a list of racial identitiy and/or origin of birth?
Wee Willie
12-25-2006, 08:54 PM
Thanks. I think the data could be useful in getting an idea of the size of the "talent pool" that MLB has drawn on thru the years. However, there is other helpful data that is needed, such as U.S. population size thru the years (especially in comparing pre- and post-integration, pre and post expansion eras, etc.)
Brian McKenna
12-26-2006, 10:13 AM
From my understanding the minors includes about 50% or more foreign-born players so the ML numbers will continue to rise.
Ubiquitous
12-26-2006, 10:40 AM
Great info. I have some questions though. What are these % based on? Playing time? Roster spots? If somebody gets called up and gets an at bat does that count as a full share?
For instance if we ignore playing time in 2002 1216 players appeared in a game and 316 of those players were foreign born. Which comes out to 26% of players being foreign born. But I am willing to bet that those 316 players received more then 26% of the playing time. For example those 316 players racked 47,796 at bats and those at bats represent 29% of all at bats in the majors.
yanks0714
12-26-2006, 12:52 PM
Great post. I often wondered about thse numbers myself.
1975 appears to be the zenith for African-Amercians in MLB. 27%. It had been growing since 1947 and has been in decline ever since to where it's now down to 9% the lowest it's been since the mid-1950's.
This is something I suspected that it was around the mid-1970's where other sports, primarily football and basketball began to siphon off the African-American athlete from baseball.
Football, was gaining popularity by the season. Remember, the first two Super Bowls didn't come close to sellouts. The Packers won the first two Super Bowls and the thought was, 'ho-hum we already knew the Packers wee the best team. But the Jets, led by Joe Namath, upset of the mighty Colts spearheaded a surge in football interest. Subsequent Super Bowls gained even more interest.
Basketball began to steal more African-Americans as well starting in the 1960 - 1970's. Hitting a zenith with the coming out of Magic Johnson. Remember the NBA in the 1970's? Trying to draw crowds? With 1980 Magic and Bird came into the NBA and basketball was all the rage.
Many universities began offering more scholerships to the African-American in the mid to late 60's, offering education + athletics for football and to a lesser degree in basketball.
The increase in Hispanic players has covered the lost of African-American talent being lost to football and basketball. But I think the late 1960s into the mid-late 1970s may well have been a peak for baseball talent wise.
Ubiquitous
12-28-2006, 08:14 PM
Here is a year by year break down on foriegn born players in the Majors. One thing to note is that this is simply a raw body count. This doesn't factor in playing time.
yearID total %
2005 345 27.9%
2004 342 27.4%
2003 323 26.3%
2002 317 26.0%
2001 308 25.2%
2000 294 23.9%
1999 278 23.0%
1998 257 21.7%
1997 247 22.0%
1996 216 18.9%
1995 199 17.6%
1994 163 16.4%
1993 178 16.1%
1992 151 15.0%
1991 156 15.1%
1990 141 13.7%
1989 128 13.0%
1988 138 14.2%
1987 123 12.6%
1986 110 11.5%
1985 111 11.8%
1984 108 11.6%
1983 111 11.6%
1982 108 11.6%
1981 100 11.0%
1980 107 11.7%
1979 97 10.8%
1978 102 11.3%
1977 106 11.8%
1976 100 12.2%
1975 89 10.5%
1974 98 11.4%
1973 95 11.6%
1972 94 11.4%
1971 90 10.9%
1970 105 12.4%
1969 99 11.7%
1968 78 11.5%
1967 84 11.7%
1966 78 10.9%
1965 71 10.1%
1964 70 10.0%
1963 63 9.1%
1962 65 9.3%
1961 52 8.4%
1960 56 9.7%
1959 42 7.4%
1958 38 6.6%
1957 35 6.2%
1956 32 5.8%
1955 37 6.2%
1954 25 4.7%
1953 19 3.6%
1952 22 4.0%
1951 24 4.4%
1950 22 4.2%
1949 20 3.8%
1948 11 2.0%
1947 15 2.8%
1946 20 3.2%
1945 27 4.9%
1944 23 4.2%
1943 18 3.5%
1942 18 3.5%
1941 14 2.6%
1940 10 1.9%
1939 8 1.5%
1938 9 1.8%
1937 8 1.6%
1936 6 1.2%
1935 6 1.2%
1934 5 1.0%
1933 4 0.9%
1932 9 1.8%
1931 7 1.4%
1930 4 0.8%
1929 7 1.4%
1928 5 1.0%
1927 5 1.0%
1926 7 1.4%
1925 7 1.3%
1924 6 1.1%
1923 6 1.2%
1922 10 2.0%
1921 14 2.8%
1920 14 2.8%
1919 13 2.7%
1918 19 3.9%
1917 16 3.3%
1916 21 4.0%
1915 25 3.4%
1914 30 4.1%
1913 20 3.4%
1912 21 3.5%
1911 17 3.2%
1910 16 3.2%
1909 16 3.2%
1908 16 3.6%
1907 15 3.6%
1906 16 3.9%
1905 17 4.4%
1904 14 3.8%
1903 16 4.3%
1902 23 5.9%
1901 16 4.3%
1900 5 2.7%
1899 11 3.5%
1898 11 3.7%
1897 13 4.9%
1896 9 3.3%
1895 10 3.5%
1894 12 4.6%
1893 7 2.7%
1892 11 4.1%
1891 22 6.1%
1890 34 6.7%
1889 17 5.3%
1888 19 5.7%
1887 22 7.0%
1886 19 5.8%
1885 29 9.0%
1884 52 8.2%
1883 21 8.1%
1882 19 8.3%
1881 9 7.5%
1880 10 7.9%
1879 6 5.0%
1878 6 7.8%
1877 5 5.4%
1876 9 7.4%
1875 12 6.3%
1874 8 6.7%
1873 12 9.8%
1872 14 9.8%
1871 12 10.4%
yanks0714
12-29-2006, 07:37 AM
Here is a year by year break down on foriegn born players in the Majors. One thing to note is that this is simply a raw body count. This doesn't factor in playing time.
yearID total %
2005 345 27.9%
2004 342 27.4%
2003 323 26.3%
2002 317 26.0%
2001 308 25.2%
2000 294 23.9%
1999 278 23.0%
1998 257 21.7%
1997 247 22.0%
1996 216 18.9%
1995 199 17.6%
1994 163 16.4%
1993 178 16.1%
1992 151 15.0%
1991 156 15.1%
1990 141 13.7%
1989 128 13.0%
1988 138 14.2%
1987 123 12.6%
1986 110 11.5%
1985 111 11.8%
1984 108 11.6%
1983 111 11.6%
1982 108 11.6%
1981 100 11.0%
1980 107 11.7%
1979 97 10.8%
1978 102 11.3%
1977 106 11.8%
1976 100 12.2%
1975 89 10.5%
1974 98 11.4%
1973 95 11.6%
1972 94 11.4%
1971 90 10.9%
1970 105 12.4%
1969 99 11.7%
1968 78 11.5%
1967 84 11.7%
1966 78 10.9%
1965 71 10.1%
1964 70 10.0%
1963 63 9.1%
1962 65 9.3%
1961 52 8.4%
1960 56 9.7%
1959 42 7.4%
1958 38 6.6%
1957 35 6.2%
1956 32 5.8%
1955 37 6.2%
1954 25 4.7%
1953 19 3.6%
1952 22 4.0%
1951 24 4.4%
1950 22 4.2%
1949 20 3.8%
1948 11 2.0%
1947 15 2.8%
1946 20 3.2%
1945 27 4.9%
1944 23 4.2%
1943 18 3.5%
1942 18 3.5%
1941 14 2.6%
1940 10 1.9%
1939 8 1.5%
1938 9 1.8%
1937 8 1.6%
1936 6 1.2%
1935 6 1.2%
1934 5 1.0%
1933 4 0.9%
1932 9 1.8%
1931 7 1.4%
1930 4 0.8%
1929 7 1.4%
1928 5 1.0%
1927 5 1.0%
1926 7 1.4%
1925 7 1.3%
1924 6 1.1%
1923 6 1.2%
1922 10 2.0%
1921 14 2.8%
1920 14 2.8%
1919 13 2.7%
1918 19 3.9%
1917 16 3.3%
1916 21 4.0%
1915 25 3.4%
1914 30 4.1%
1913 20 3.4%
1912 21 3.5%
1911 17 3.2%
1910 16 3.2%
1909 16 3.2%
1908 16 3.6%
1907 15 3.6%
1906 16 3.9%
1905 17 4.4%
1904 14 3.8%
1903 16 4.3%
1902 23 5.9%
1901 16 4.3%
1900 5 2.7%
1899 11 3.5%
1898 11 3.7%
1897 13 4.9%
1896 9 3.3%
1895 10 3.5%
1894 12 4.6%
1893 7 2.7%
1892 11 4.1%
1891 22 6.1%
1890 34 6.7%
1889 17 5.3%
1888 19 5.7%
1887 22 7.0%
1886 19 5.8%
1885 29 9.0%
1884 52 8.2%
1883 21 8.1%
1882 19 8.3%
1881 9 7.5%
1880 10 7.9%
1879 6 5.0%
1878 6 7.8%
1877 5 5.4%
1876 9 7.4%
1875 12 6.3%
1874 8 6.7%
1873 12 9.8%
1872 14 9.8%
1871 12 10.4%
Thanks, Ubi.
It appears that the foreign born players, mostly Latino, are replacing the African-American ML player. Foreign born are now at a peak at approximately where African-American participation peaked in the mid-1970's. I suspect that foreign born will continue to rise and African-American will continue to fall.
I like all sports but baseball has always been my first love. These days when I talk sports with an African-American it's almost always about football or basketball. Generally, they cannot really carry on a reasonable conversation about baseball because of lack of interest in the sport. They'll become bored about it.
Is there a reason for it? The Latino from the Carribean nations play baseball year round. It's their national sport along with soccar. Looking at the college teams there are very few African-Americans playing baseball today. Why?