Blacks in Baseball article

[Boris]

declining numbers of african americans in baseball


The link is an interesting story in the SJ Merc. News about how few blacks are playing baseball these days. My favorite team has no blacks on the active roster. Amazing when you consider the impact this particular ethnic group has had on pro sports. Only 9% of MLB players are black, compared to 13% for the general population. In 1975, 27% of MLB'ers were black an in 1995 19% were black. Any ideas on the cause of the downward trend?

[brassnuts]

They're planning a massive hockey takeover in the next 10 years. This is the real reason behind the "strike".

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

Latinos? I really have no idea, but what do the same stats look like for Hispanics (and Asians)?

[davelin]

Lack of exposure of baseball to urban areas has been cited as a possible reason. What's your favorite team that has no African-Americans on the active roster?

[Boris]

Oakland A's. Charles Thomas was a bench player but got optioned back to AAA.

[JTrout]

I've watched some of the college playoff games.
I've seen one black player.
Wonder how many are on the 8 teams at the World Series?

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
Any ideas on the cause of the downward trend?

[/ QUOTE ] Several reasons. One, baseball is hot very hip hop, so it doesn't appeal as much as basketball. Two, its harder to make it to the majors, NBA and NFL are easier routs. Three, most blacks live in urban enviroments, where there isn't much money or space for baseball. Basketball is relatively cheap, and doesn't take up a lot of room.

[Jack of Arcades]

[ QUOTE ]
Latinos? I really have no idea, but what do the same stats look like for Hispanics (and Asians)?

[/ QUOTE ]

Latinos have gone slightly up and is at an all-time high. There are plenty of blacks in baseball; it's just that so many of them come from the Dominican...

[Popinjay]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Any ideas on the cause of the downward trend?

[/ QUOTE ] Several reasons. One, baseball is hot very hip hop, so it doesn't appeal as much as basketball. Two, its harder to make it to the majors, NBA and NFL are easier routs. Three, most blacks live in urban enviroments, where there isn't much money or space for baseball. Basketball is relatively cheap, and doesn't take up a lot of room.

[/ QUOTE ]

NBA and NFL easier to get to than the MLB? Seems very untrue to me.

-NBA team rosters are much smaller than MLB rosters.

-NFL players have to put massive punishment on their bodies to play at their high level.

-I know a kid who got drafted by the M's and he isn't very good.

[M2d]

[ QUOTE ]
-I know a kid who got drafted by the M's and he isn't very good.

[/ QUOTE ]
so he'll get cut in low A after making a couple hundred a week for a few months. Getting drafted may not be that difficult (it is), but making the bigs is very tough