Chris Rock rants about the lack of African-Americans in baseball

sports.yahoo.com ^ | April 22, 2015 | Chris Cwik

[PROCON]

African-American participation in baseball is on the decline. This isn't a new development. Over the past couple years, a number of black athletes have addressed the issue.

This isn't just an issue for other black players, it's becoming an issue for black fans, according to comedian Chris Rock. Rock gave his take on the alarmingly low rates of blacks in baseball for HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumble." (WARNING: NSFW Language).

Rock's rant is humorous, obviously, but it also points out some discouraging facts about why fewer black people are playing, and watching, the game. The fact that Howard, a prominent all-black college, doesn't even have a baseball team should give some idea of how troubling this situation has become.

[PA Engineer]

Blame Johnson or Nixon or whoever it was who came up with these racial categories.

Madness.

[x]

I saw him once in a club, he’s about 5’4” and a complete clown.

That's his job description. It's what he's supposed to be (a complete clown, not a midget). Whoever's taking him seriously about anything really ought to stop.

I'm wondering who does play baseball nowadays, though. People from rural America and from the Spanish-speaking Caribbean countries, I guess.

So we could ask why rural Blacks aren't more into the game, but as things are, I don't see urban Americans of any race showing much enthusiasm for it.

[GOPJ]

Or Asians...

[11th Commandment]

I listened to Rock's rant and the conclusion- clearly Chris Rock thinks that Hispanics are not cool and leading to the demise of Baseball. According to Rock, Baseball was cool and hip as African American participation increased to 20% in the MLB in the 80's. As participation has dropped so has ratings and popularity of young people.

Clearly, the increase in Hispanics in the major league to 30% is the reason for the demise. Afterall, white participation has not changed. So as Hispanics replaced Blacks in baseball the game became less hip and young people do not like the game anymore because it is filled with hispanics.