Out of Left Field: The Errors In Counting Black Ballplayers

[snopes]

In the past decade, dozens of articles have lamented the declining proportion of black baseball players, from 27% of all major leaguers in the mid-1970s to 8.2% last season, even as the percentage of Americans who are of African descent has inched up in recent decades.

For all its currency, that decline appears to be way off. In recent years, two baseball researchers, working independently, have found that blacks probably never made up more than 20% of major leaguers.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122357337870719657.html

[Ali Infree]

That was a little fuzzy to me. The increase in Latino and Asian players is a marked change in baseball, but counting players as either black or Latino exclusively is a pretty narrow thing.

My boyhood hero, Roberto Clemente, was clearly a proud Puerto Rican, but he also proud of being a black man. Yes, he played the outfield, but I don't think his social skills were the reason, it was his right arm. So, he counts as a Latino, not a black man?

And the Pirates are credited with the first all black line-up in major league
history. Among them: Clemente, Manny Sanguillen, and Jackie Hernandez. So,not really an all black line-up with these Latinos then?

The OP is right that many of these players would not have played before Jackie Robinson. I think that the Yankees had a Cuban reliever in the 1930s who was probably as white as Desi Arnaz. So, how should we do this? Who has the correct standard on blackness? Looking at the photos and their rollovers, I see what choices were made. In the future, perhaps the players should, as those of us doing the Census get to do, decide their ethnicity from a menu of options. Even in Carribean countries, one's color is noticed socially, so we might be surprised at the choices.

So, were the old figures flawed? Why doesn't someone go back and re-do the research? Not an uncommon thing in baseball research where people will pour over the box scores of seasons 80 or 90 years gone to make sure the statistics are right on a given batting title or season of hitting.

Ali "Rays vs. Phillies!" Infree

[Mr. Furious]

The articles I've read on the subject is careful to talk about the decline in African-American players rather than black players. The articles also usually discuss how baseball has lost footing in the inner cities to basketball and football, as well as efforts of African-American Major Leaguers to draw young African-Americans to the sport.

[Dr. Dave]

Originally Posted by Mr. Furious

The articles I've read on the subject is careful to talk about the decline in African-American players rather than black players. The articles also usually discuss how baseball has lost footing in the inner cities to basketball and football, as well as efforts of African-American Major Leaguers to draw young African-Americans to the sport.

Along those lines, I have also heard discussion of "American born black players" in the MLB and analagously, discussion of "American born white players" in the NBA, to differentiate from the white Europeans (and the Canadian Aussie.)

[Ali Infree]

And I think the decline in African American baseball players is important as well. It may be that playing basketball or football in college gives talented players a lot more recognition early, rather than toiling in the minor leagues. Even though the minor leaguers actually can be paid.
[Although as a West Virginia University fan, I am very glad that Pat White gave up his minor league career. ]

I think it has to do with baseball itself. The game is seen as slow, not terribly athletic in a number of respects on a daily basis (not by me, you understand). There aren't as many urban baseball diamonds as before (or useable vacant lots). Whether the number of African American ball players was 27% or 20%, there are fewer now. Allthough I really like the greater diversity we see in the majors too.

Ali "beseboru!" Infree

[MariaVerde]

There aren't as many urban baseball diamonds as before (or useable vacant lots).

I've been a baseball fan for about 30 years and I've been hearing this as part of the reason for why basketball is more popular with young African-Americans for at least 20 years. Additionally, baseball needs more people and equipment - a proper baseball game needs 9 gloves, a bat, and a ball, but basketball just needs a ball.

mrc (go Phils!! - sorry, I'm not used to the post season)

[RivkahChaya]

The fact that baseball is a summer game probably has something to do with it too. Every junior high and high school in the country has a basketball and a football team, but few junior highs have them, and some high schools don't. If you want to play baseball as a kid, you have to sign up for a summer league, and that isn't free.

Plus, basketball and football in college are big business, offering full scholarships to the best high school players. Colleges that have baseball teams don't generally make as much money off them, and so don't have as much scholarship money available.

I'm still a baseball fan, myself, and am bored to tears by all other sports.

[RivkahChaya]

Perhaps a third of today's major leaguers wouldn't have been allowed in the game before the color barrier was lifted.

A sobering fact.