Apparently, lumped into the author’s reference “unbearable whiteness” is a large representation of Hispanics in MLB.
Or are those “white Hispanics?”
Very good observation. With the bottom line in their minds, teams started creating baseball schools in Latin countries back in the late 50's. The schools taught ABCs in the morning, and baseball by pro instructors in the afternoon. The schools were placed in these countries because they could get a legal signature by a 16 year old boy for a pro contract that was binding. they would train him from early age to that point of 16 after being hand selected, and then spend a little more time before bringing him to the US to compete professionally in minor league ball with a straight shot to the big club. Then, in many cases, when he wanted comparable money to the other players around him, he would be released and another young brought up for the cheap price. The most name schools are located in Puerto Rico, The Dominican Republic, and Guatemala. Baseball was and is a business first. Another problem is their competition with basketball and football concerning education. Baseball in college doesn't supply the high scholarships the other two sports do. So the path for a college education is paved in other directions by the money trail. And there have been more than a few athletes saw the inside of a classroom on the first and last day of the semester or quarter to get the study material, not used, and find out their grades, maybe. red
Not to mention the arrival of more Asian players. Many of the younger players for the Minnesota Twins are Hispanic and Asian.