What stopped you from posting your full content, Leo?
Don't like it? Stay home.
All this navel gazing racial nose counting is getting really boring.
Especially when directed at one particular sport but not at another.
Interesting article.
There are a few reasons for the decline of black ballplayers. One is that many black young men play basketball or football. Nowadays, in high school and college, players are discouraged from playing other sports. They are encouraged to specialize and play just one, which for many black athletes ends up being football or basketball.
Another reason is the huge influx of foreign players in the major leagues. American born players of all races are competing with increasing numbers from Latin America and Asia. Arguably some American born players from all backgrounds are being squeezed out by Latin and Asian players.
To the best of my knowledge, there are presently no barriers that keep black athletes from playing baseball.
I would conclude that less black athletes simply don’t want to play baseball. They choose to use their skill sets on other sports or in other professions.
I feel so cheated. /s
Here's a thought: baseball takes more dedication and discipline than other sports; and the black community doesn't value commitment. It is hard to achieve in baseball coming from a broken home, surrounded by addictions, with no positive male role model. Now is that waaaaaayyyycist?
Scan the crowd of an NBA game and you'll see pretty much the same. Same with the NFL? Maybe it more ticket prices than disinterest?
So if I am reading the article correctly, you are saying Blacks liked baseball when they could see all black players. When the MLB allowed blacks, blacks spectators still only wanted to see black players and not any of the white players on the teams.
So Blacks don’t like baseball anymore because Blacks are racist?
To borrow a phrase from Hillary - at this point what does it really matter? And it this case since no one is dead and no one is being denied access to anything what does it really matter?
And what’s the plan to get more white, Asian, and Native American players in the NBA?
The reason fewer Black kids want to play baseball is because of the disproportionate number of MLB Players who are known Blog Pimps.
These poor kids are trying to elevate themselves out of he cycle of moral turpitude and sociopathic dependency that is endemic im blog pimpery.
Maybe that is because there are few black families. No Dad to play catch with in the backyard means all the young black athlete can do is practice his grandstanding for when he makes a tackle or run, basket or rebound.
Add to that the fact that baseball requires a lot of practice and game experience to reach MLB level as compared to someone dropping out of college as an underclassman to enter the NFL or NBA draft and it is easy to see why the black athlete follows the path of least resistance.
More often than not, a baseball player is capable of making a Major League 25 man roster after his 800th to 1000th lifetime game from Little League, Senior League, High school, American Legion through college and/or the minors.
And then there is a little thing called trouble with the curve...
Advancement to major league baseball can be a lengthy process. The transition from HS to collegiate & the minors can take years. Money is limited and the chances of career-ending injury are always looming in the background.
Contrast this with basketball. An economically disadvantaged player who is also physically gifted can play as little as 1 year of college basketball before going into the NBA lottery. Plus that rookie contract could set you up for life.
Football also offers accelerated paths to the NFL though the money is not entirely guaranteed.
For many teenage athletes playing professional sports is about the lifestyle. I just to think that professional baseball offers quite the same in that area.
With some exceptions it takes class to play baseball, I see little in football and none in hoops.
Former MS State coach Ron Polk was crucified for bringing up how Title IX was playing a role in ensuring that poor inner city kids would be eliminated from college baseball.
In 2012 the MLB was 63.9% white. That’s up from the low of 60.3% in 2004. In 2013 the NFL was 29.26% white. In 2012, 78% of all professional basketball players were US blacks.
I think part of the reason that so many bullpens are full of tall athletic white lanky kids throwing 95+ in recent years is that they have started choosing baseball instead of trying to compete with tall athletic black lanky guys at younger and younger ages in basketball.
The great equalizer in baseball is hitting a round ball fair with a round bat, especially when it’s 90+ and your timing is messed up with slower breaking balls and change ups. If you can do that, some of the other more physical skills that might be lacking don’t matter as much. Generally, the skill set of NFL and NBA requires more physical skills. Also, the skill set for baseball at the major league level usually requires very frequent repetition at a very young age, usually from fathers.
FReegards
When millions moved to the cold north and crowded big cities, there was less good weather and not a lot of room. In football, other than quarterback or kicker, players basically need no practice..you're either big, tough, and/or fast, or you're not. Basketball doesn't need a lot of space. But baseball needs big fields, and more equipment. Not a lot of large, grassy spaces in big cities.