[Alberta's Child]

It's really just two simple answers that the author seems to have touched on:

1. Young black Americans have been migrating to basketball and football as their preferred sports since the 1970s.

2. Among Americans, the sport is being dominated by kids from wealthy families that can afford the cost of baseball academies and private coaching from a young age. It's no different than soccer and ice hockey now.

[ealgeone]

Exactly correct. baseball requires an investment. you have to have a glove, bat, ball, field....18 guys.

you can learn bball by yourself or playing any combo of 2 on 2, etc.

most urban areas have plenty of basketball courts. always guys to play with.

baseball not so much.

[nascarnation]

Golf too.
My grandson is one of 60 kids competing for 12 spots on the hs school golf team. Probably half of them (him included) have had private lessons in Florida this spring.

[Hot Tabasco]

the sport is being dominated by kids from wealthy families

That's why you don't see any blacks on the Canadian or US ski teams....Skiing is horribly expensive.