The decline of blacks in Baseball

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Ethereal

Ethereal

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#1
Mar 18, 2003
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#1
At current, there is aproximately 8.4% blacks in Major League Baseball. And a total of--at the season's beginning--4-5 black starting pitchers.

A University of Central Florida study last month said only 8.4 percent of major league players are black compared to 59.5 percent being white and nearly 30 percent of Latino heritage.

This is down from 19% in 1995 and over 27% in the 1970's.

What do you think is to attribute to this decline? Is Baseball becoming less appealing to blacks in America? Are baseball executives/owners systematically removing (or in this case preventing) blacks from the sport?

This is quite an interesting topic to me and I want to know what you think.



src. real sports HBO aired 4/24/08
src. article
 
JoMoDo

JoMoDo

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#3
Jul 10, 2002
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As a baseball enthusiast, and former JV coach at one of the local H.S. (Garfield),
baseball is dieing in the inner city.

It's late now, but more on this later...
 
Ethereal

Ethereal

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#6
Mar 18, 2003
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But why is this? Is it a lack of interest or are these leagues shutting down for other reasons? It appears to me the most logical answer is that kids in inner citties are just not interested in the sport.
 
T.C

T.C

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#9
Jul 22, 2003
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Ethereal said:
But why is this? Is it a lack of interest or are these leagues shutting down for other reasons? It appears to me the most logical answer is that kids in inner citties are just not interested in the sport.
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I always had a few hypothesis on this...I think it has more to do with convenience and costs in combination with a general lack of interest. Think about it...
when u wanna play basketball all u need is a basket and a ball to work on your skills. Price:5-10 bucks for the ball

Football: a ball, space and at least three people (one on one w/ the "all-time QB" lol). Price:10 bucks for the ball and getting two of your lazy as friends to get off the sega genesis a come play outside.

Baseball: 11 people at least, 9 gloves at least, a ball and a bat. Price: Do u realize how hard it is to get 11 people to do anything. let alone practice baseball? The baseball fields in my hood either sucked, or were too far away to practice. And when u did get enough people, not everybody had gloves or somebody was a lefty using a right handed persons glove.
 
HiLsyde707Kloun

HiLsyde707Kloun

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#11
Oct 16, 2006
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#11
I think with baseball it's lack of interest, but as far as a sport like basketball, I think it's intentional on the part of the owners/Stern and his cronies. They're going all over the world to find a ball-player that isn't brown. They're signing mediocre Chinese players, dime-a-dozen European players, etc. and so on. It's not like the talent pool is drying up out here or anything.
 
JoMoDo

JoMoDo

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#19
Jul 10, 2002
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Here are a few reasons in my opinion.

At the highschool level, everyone wants to be a star and be recognized. . Baseball does not attract nearly a fraction of the crowd as Football or Basketball (which are basically social events). Go to a h.s. game, and good luck findin' anyone there but a FEW parents, maybe a couple friends or girlfriends.

Also, baseball is a sport where raw talent only gets you so far (it always helps though). Up through the H.S. level, if you're tall, fast, strong, got hops, and coordinated, you got a spot on a lot of hoop teams. If you're cut, fast, or huge you'll be under those friday night lights. Now in baseball, although raw natural athletic abilities are a nice addition, odds are, if one hasn't dedicated the time to proper technique's, the odds of success are low.
99 times out of 100, it is quite appearant who has had the privildege of private innstruction and who hasn't. Private instruction cost's $$$, as well as requires equipment and facilities, which also =$$$. Now, just move out to more affluent suburbs, and that's were some of the best ball is (or private city school's). At least up here in WA.

Then, there comes the stigma factor as well, it's tough to consistently get bombed on by a bunch of rich white kids, especially when you climb the ladder of baseball.

Also, this is a sport that from my perspecitive that there is a correlation with parental involvment, and player success, and there is a huge contrast from inner-city ball to ball in the suburbs or rural america.
 
Lamberto Quintero

Lamberto Quintero

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#20
May 13, 2002
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#20
JoMoDo said:
Here are a few reasons in my opinion.

At the highschool level, everyone wants to be a star and be recognized. . Baseball does not attract nearly a fraction of the crowd as Football or Basketball (which are basically social events). Go to a h.s. game, and good luck findin' anyone there but a FEW parents, maybe a couple friends or girlfriends.

Also, baseball is a sport where raw talent only gets you so far (it always helps though). Up through the H.S. level, if you're tall, fast, strong, got hops, and coordinated, you got a spot on a lot of hoop teams. If you're cut, fast, or huge you'll be under those friday night lights. Now in baseball, although raw natural athletic abilities are a nice addition, odds are, if one hasn't dedicated the time to proper technique's, the odds of success are low.
99 times out of 100, it is quite appearant who has had the privildege of private innstruction and who hasn't. Private instruction cost's $$$, as well as requires equipment and facilities, which also =$$$. Now, just move out to more affluent suburbs, and that's were some of the best ball is (or private city school's). At least up here in WA.

Then, there comes the stigma factor as well, it's tough to consistently get bombed on by a bunch of rich white kids, especially when you climb the ladder of baseball.

Also, this is a sport that from my perspecitive that there is a correlation with parental involvment, and player success, and there is a huge contrast from inner-city ball to ball in the suburbs or rural america.
Click to expand...
Good points in your explanation, I agree.
 
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