Where has the diversity gone?
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No U.S.-Born Black Players Expected to Play in World Series
When the Astros and Phillies take the field at Minute Maid Park for Game 1 of the World Series on Friday, a streak that dates back to Jackie Robinson’s playing career will come to an ignominious end.
Barring some unexpected roster moves, this year’s Fall Classic will be the first since 1950 to feature no American-born Black players. While there will still be a diverse set of participants on both rosters, it’s still a jarring realization for members from both teams.
Among the Black players who have played in the World Series in the years between Robinson’s debut and now is Astros manager Dusty Baker, who conceded that it’s a sad development but offered hope that the future of the sport’s Black representation is headed in the right direction.
https://www.si.com/mlb/2022/10/27/dusty-baker-addresses-no-american-born-black-players-world-series
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@Jolly said in Where has the diversity gone?:
Black kids don't play baseball like they used to...Now, it's mostly hoops and football.
Kinda dumb. 14 of the 20 richest contracts in professional sports are for baseball players. Fully guaranteed, too.
The next 3 are soccer, there’s a boxer, a Formula 1 driver, and 1 single football player (Patrick Maholmes).
Basketball has the highest average per player, but the NBA has by far the fewest athletes and the smallest opportunity for any of the major leagues, and not even Lebron or Steph Curry touches the top 20 salaries.
Average MLB career is 5 years vs 3.75 in NBA and 3.3 years for the NFL, and there are a lot more players in their 30s than any other league. Heck, there’s 10 guys in their 40s…
MLB has 906 players on rosters every opening day. Football does have more at around 1500 but basketball only has 450.
I don’t get it. If I was an athletically gifted kid, I would focus my efforts towards baseball…
The Brad
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@Jolly said in Where has the diversity gone?:
Black kids don't play baseball like they used to...Now, it's mostly hoops and football.
Kinda dumb. 14 of the 20 richest contracts in professional sports are for baseball players. Fully guaranteed, too.
The next 3 are soccer, there’s a boxer, a Formula 1 driver, and 1 single football player (Patrick Maholmes).
Basketball has the highest average per player, but the NBA has by far the fewest athletes and the smallest opportunity for any of the major leagues, and not even Lebron or Steph Curry touches the top 20 salaries.
Average MLB career is 5 years vs 3.75 in NBA and 3.3 years for the NFL, and there are a lot more players in their 30s than any other league. Heck, there’s 10 guys in their 40s…
MLB has 906 players on rosters every opening day. Football does have more at around 1500 but basketball only has 450.
I don’t get it. If I was an athletically gifted kid, I would focus my efforts towards baseball…
@LuFins-Dad said in Where has the diversity gone?:
@Jolly said in Where has the diversity gone?:
Black kids don't play baseball like they used to...Now, it's mostly hoops and football.
Kinda dumb. 14 of the 20 richest contracts in professional sports are for baseball players. Fully guaranteed, too.
The next 3 are soccer, there’s a boxer, a Formula 1 driver, and 1 single football player (Patrick Maholmes).
Basketball has the highest average per player, but the NBA has by far the fewest athletes and the smallest opportunity for any of the major leagues, and not even Lebron or Steph Curry touches the top 20 salaries.
Average MLB career is 5 years vs 3.75 in NBA and 3.3 years for the NFL, and there are a lot more players in their 30s than any other league. Heck, there’s 10 guys in their 40s…
MLB has 906 players on rosters every opening day. Football does have more at around 1500 but basketball only has 450.
I don’t get it. If I was an athletically gifted kid, I would focus my efforts towards baseball…
Absolutely. I’ll bet there are hundreds of African American blue collar laborers, who maybe topped out in another sport without hitting the big leagues, who could have been pro baseball players if they’d have given it a chance as a kid.
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@LuFins-Dad said in Where has the diversity gone?:
@Jolly said in Where has the diversity gone?:
Black kids don't play baseball like they used to...Now, it's mostly hoops and football.
Kinda dumb. 14 of the 20 richest contracts in professional sports are for baseball players. Fully guaranteed, too.
The next 3 are soccer, there’s a boxer, a Formula 1 driver, and 1 single football player (Patrick Maholmes).
Basketball has the highest average per player, but the NBA has by far the fewest athletes and the smallest opportunity for any of the major leagues, and not even Lebron or Steph Curry touches the top 20 salaries.
Average MLB career is 5 years vs 3.75 in NBA and 3.3 years for the NFL, and there are a lot more players in their 30s than any other league. Heck, there’s 10 guys in their 40s…
MLB has 906 players on rosters every opening day. Football does have more at around 1500 but basketball only has 450.
I don’t get it. If I was an athletically gifted kid, I would focus my efforts towards baseball…
Absolutely. I’ll bet there are hundreds of African American blue collar laborers, who maybe topped out in another sport without hitting the big leagues, who could have been pro baseball players if they’d have given it a chance as a kid.
@Horace said in Where has the diversity gone?:
@LuFins-Dad said in Where has the diversity gone?:
@Jolly said in Where has the diversity gone?:
Black kids don't play baseball like they used to...Now, it's mostly hoops and football.
Kinda dumb. 14 of the 20 richest contracts in professional sports are for baseball players. Fully guaranteed, too.
The next 3 are soccer, there’s a boxer, a Formula 1 driver, and 1 single football player (Patrick Maholmes).
Basketball has the highest average per player, but the NBA has by far the fewest athletes and the smallest opportunity for any of the major leagues, and not even Lebron or Steph Curry touches the top 20 salaries.
Average MLB career is 5 years vs 3.75 in NBA and 3.3 years for the NFL, and there are a lot more players in their 30s than any other league. Heck, there’s 10 guys in their 40s…
MLB has 906 players on rosters every opening day. Football does have more at around 1500 but basketball only has 450.
I don’t get it. If I was an athletically gifted kid, I would focus my efforts towards baseball…
Absolutely. I’ll bet there are hundreds of African American blue collar laborers, who maybe topped out in another sport without hitting the big leagues, who could have been pro baseball players if they’d have given it a chance as a kid.
Agreed. Applies to other sports too, such as speed skating, swimming, etc. Black folks are athletically superior on average but indeed do seem to focus on basketball and football, which is fine other than the competition trying to make it to the top level.
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Also, it's interesting to see the percentage of Latino even out after the 90s. I feel like in the MLB there recently has been a surge in Latino talent. Either way, good for them, those Latin American countries have some incredible passion for the game, often contrasted with the bare bones facilities and equipment to use. Many have found a great way to improve their life (and for their families) by working hard at baseball.
