SF Giants have 0 black players

[RhodyYanksFan]

http://www.csnbayarea.com/blog/andre...-americans-etc

One of the highlights of the spring is when Willie Mays arrives and sits at his customary table in the Scottsdale Stadium clubhouse, and starts chirping at Mike Murphy.

This year, the moment came with a bit of melancholy.

That’s because as I looked around the room, I realized that Mays, and his assistant, were the only people of African-American heritage in it.

We know the trends. You’ve heard about them for a long time. The percentage of African-Americans in baseball, which peaked at close to 30 percent in the 1970s, has dwindled down to single digits.

Sure, there have been times when the Giants did not have a single African-American on the roster. But no representation whatsoever in big league spring training? More than 70 players, and not one African-American in the room? That realization stunned me.

I know this isn't a Giants-centric problem - they're not avoiding signing or drafting blacks. It's more of a sign of the times that blacks aren't playing baseball as much as they used to. So is it a big deal that a major league team has no black players?

[Yankee Tripper]

http://www.csnbayarea.com/blog/andre...-americans-etc



I know this isn't a Giants-centric problem - they're not avoiding signing or drafting blacks. It's more of a sign of the times that blacks aren't playing baseball as much as they used to. So is it a big deal that a major league team has no black players?

It's a bit odd but as you mention fewer blacks are playing baseball relative to other sports. I think the percentage of players in MLB who are black has steadily dropped for several years now so statistically some team was going to be the first without one it just happened to be the Giants. But it's not like the Giants are an all white team, they have quite a few latin american players.

[awy]

yea, grassroots

[RhodyYanksFan]

It's a bit odd but as you mention fewer blacks are playing baseball relative to other sports. I think the percentage of players in MLB who are black has steadily dropped for several years now so statistically some team was going to be the first without one it just happened to be the Giants. But it's not like the Giants are an all white team, they have quite a few latin american players.

Right. I wasn't saying that the organization is racist or anything, I was just pointing out that they had no African Americans in spring training. It's more of a societal thing than a Giants thing. I'm not saying every team needs to have black players, I'm just saying that less blacks play baseball. The question is why.

[NerfBall55]

Overheard in the Boston FO: "See Ben, it CAN be done".....

[35Knucklecurve]

There have been some MLB players who've been going out into communities to try to revive the youth interest nationwide, but apparently it has not been successful.

It's sad when you think about what Jackie Robinson endured so that no one would be denied the opportunity to play based soley on the color of his skin.

[The Comic Book Guy]

I know down here there was a problem with organizations like RBI, where a lot of the coaches were more concerned with winning than actually reviving baseball in inner cities and ended up shipping in kids from the suburbs to play on their teams. Not sure if that's still an issue.

[Yankee Tripper]

Some of it is cost, bats, gloves, baseballs, cleats, baseball pants, etc. it starts to add up quickly. Then you need a large opens space with a diamond and a fair amount of opponents to play against. Compare that to bastekball where you don't need a large space, the only equipment you really need is a ball and local park with a hoop. And you can see why inner city youth gravitate more to basketball than baseball.

A lot of inncer city kids simply don't have the opportunity to play baseball.

[Yankee Fan in Boston]

There have been some MLB players who've been going out into communities to try to revive the youth interest nationwide, but apparently it has not been successful.

It's sad when you think about what Jackie Robinson endured so that no one would be denied the opportunity to play based soley on the color of his skin.

Well, it wasn't for nothing. Baseball has become a pretty diverse sport, even if African-Americans aren't as prevalent in the game as they once were

[THEBOSS84]

I never understood how this is considered a "problem". Where's the outcry at the lack of white players in the NBA?

[NelsonMuntz]

I never understood how this is considered a "problem". Where's the outcry at the lack of white players in the NBA?

I think the concern is over the declining interest in baseball among African Americans across all levels more so than the number of Black players currently in MLB. There is no shortage of White kids playing basketball at the youth, HS, and college level. They're just not good enough to play in the NBA, generally speaking.

[RenoHightower]

I think the concern is over the declining interest in baseball among African Americans across all levels more so than the number of Black players currently in MLB. There is no shortage of White kids playing basketball at the youth, HS, and college level. They're just not good enough to play in the NBA, generally speaking.

[BRNXBMRS]

OMG, no blacks. Just making a story out of nothing. Their greatest player in their incredible history is black.

[d32123]

We all knew it would happen eventually, some team would have no black players. I think it's just plain in the interest of MLB to get more African Americans to play baseball. There's a talent pool that's being taken by basketball and football that baseball needs to tap into again.

[Yankee Tripper]

OMG, no blacks. Just making a story out of nothing. Their greatest player in their incredible history is black.

actualy their 2 greatest and one is the god father of the other. but when is the last time an MLB team had no black players on its roster? I'm guessing you have to go back a fair ways to find one so it is a story.

[d32123]

I never understood how this is considered a "problem". Where's the outcry at the lack of white players in the NBA?

The difference is that the relative decline of white players in the NBA because less whites are playing basketball than they used to. The amount of black players in MLB is declining because less and less blacks are playing baseball and instead are choosing basketball or football.

[Hitman23]

So is it a big deal that a major league team has no black players?

No. The problem is that it's a story at all. I would have never noticed because I was never looking.

[BRNXBMRS]

actualy their 2 greatest and one is the god father of the other. but when is the last time an MLB team had no black players on its roster? I'm guessing you have to go back a fair ways to find one so it is a story.

No its not, I think people stopped looking at the color of a persons skin back in the late 80's. Its not like it was done on purpose, especially in SF. Personally I wouldnt have enve noticed it if I didnt read this message board.

[d32123]

No its not, I think people stopped looking at the color of a persons skin back in the late 80's..

Are you for serious?

[NelsonMuntz]

We all knew it would happen eventually, some team would have no black players. I think it's just plain in the interest of MLB to get more African Americans to play baseball. There's a talent pool that's being taken by basketball and football that baseball needs to tap into again.

Agreed. They talked about this on MLB Network Radio a while back. I don't remember who said it, but he brought up the point that in the United States it is a relatively expensive proposition for a high school student to play baseball if he really wants to be in the draft discussion because it requires playing all year round on travel teams, and a lot of inner city kids and their parents simply cannot afford to do that.

[Yankee Tripper]

No its not, I think people stopped looking at the color of a persons skin back in the late 80's. Its not like it was done on purpose, especially in SF. Personally I wouldnt have enve noticed it if I didnt read this message board.

I wish I lived in your world.

[Blazer]

Agreed. They talked about this on MLB Network Radio a while back. I don't remember who said it, but he brought up the point that in the United States it is a relatively expensive proposition for a high school student to play baseball if he really wants to be in the draft discussion because it requires playing all year round on travel teams, and a lot of inner city kids and their parents simply cannot afford to do that.

I guess the same is true with soccer.

[d32123]

I guess the same is true with soccer.

The problem is even worse with soccer.

[grizy]

I guess the same is true with soccer.

It's even worse with soccer, for now. In the long run, soccer only needs a soccer ball and some space, even the lobby of an apartment complex works. The cost of the sport is even lower than basketball.

MLS, at its current rates of growth, are only about 20 or 30 years away from catching up to the mid-tier English Premier League teams (Newcastle and Sunderland types). At that point, and probably well before that, we'll be getting a lot of premier world class talents that can really lead to the expansion of the sport.

That's assuming it doesn't accelerate. The demographics and economics of soccer strongly suggest we'll be calling it football before I am dead (I'm planning to live for 50 more years, give or take)

[Ram Man]

The problem is even worse with soccer.

Why is this a problem? It is just the way it is. Professional sports is probably the most obvious example of a meritocracy that there is. If you can play, you'll play no matter what color/race/ethnicity you may be.