Jackie Robinson and blacks in baseball

[HellYeahHokie]

As the anniversary of Jackie Robinson entering MLB approaches, a lot of the sports talk radio and TV stations seem to be hand-wringing over the decline of black players in MLB. 10 years ago, some 20% of players were black. Now it's under 10%. But I can't help but thinking, "What's the problem?" Jackie Robinson broke down a barrier that needed to be broken, and now blacks are fully able to participate in major league baseball. It's not like they are being excuded, right?

Most conclude that blacks just aren't as interested in baseball, and are more attracted to basketball and football. So its not like they are being excluded. They are choosing to participate in other sports instead.

I can see how its a problem for MLB from a marketing perspective. They want the broadest audience possible, and there is a lot of money to be made in sports marketing to black youth. But everyone seems to think this is a bigger race problem. But I just don't get it.

This isn't like worrying about shortage of blacks in coaching positions, or the shortage of black quarterbacks, which had everything to do with racial discrimination. But nothing about this dropoff of blacks in baseball seems to be related to any negative racial/social problems.

There are still boundaries for blacks in the United States of course, but I would hardly think that there are barriers left in baseball, or most sports. And that's what should be celebrated with the anniversary of Jackie Robinson. I think all thise angst about fewer blacks is a non-issue, and somehow makes this anniversary celebration tarnished.

[Blue Hen]

College Baseball doesn't seem to feature many Black players either.....even on the Southern teams. I don't see the trend turning around.

[PSUFan]

Here's some food for thought:

From Marion Motley's Hall of Fame page: http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=156

"In 1946, one year before Jackie Robinson signed with baseball’s Brooklyn Dodgers, four players smashed pro football’s race barrier. The trailblazers were Marion Motley and Bill Willis, who signed with the Cleveland Browns of the new All-America Football Conference, and Kenny Washington and Woody Strode, who signed with the National Football League’s Los Angeles Rams. Injuries ended Washington’s career after three seasons, while Strode played just the 1946 season. Motley and Willis, however, went on to have Hall of Fame careers."

Why is that these guys get no recognition for their feats?

[H.I.]

what i find so funny with these talking heads is one minute they'll talk about what's wrong with America because a lot of our youth think they'll end up being professional ball players when the odds are greatly against them. then a few days later they'll talk about what's wrong with minority leaving or completely ignoring baseball. and their answer to solving the problem is always building youth programs in the inter cities to help identify young kids that could possibly play professional ball one day. makes no sense to me.

[HellYeahHokie]

Here's some food for thought:

From Marion Motley's Hall of Fame page: http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=156

"In 1946, one year before Jackie Robinson signed with baseball’s Brooklyn Dodgers, four players smashed pro football’s race barrier. The trailblazers were Marion Motley and Bill Willis, who signed with the Cleveland Browns of the new All-America Football Conference, and Kenny Washington and Woody Strode, who signed with the National Football League’s Los Angeles Rams. Injuries ended Washington’s career after three seasons, while Strode played just the 1946 season. Motley and Willis, however, went on to have Hall of Fame careers."

Why is that these guys get no recognition for their feats?

I think they don't get as much recognition is because back in the mid-40s, professional football wasn't that popular. College football was what mattered in those days. On the other hand, baseball was Americas game, and it dwarfed every other sport in terms of fan interest, So those football players really came on under the national radar, because not many were paying that much attention. But Jackie Robinson's barrier-breaking was far more newsworthy, and historic because it was played out on a national stage. Much like Jesse Owens winning gold medals in Berlin, the context of the feat was far more intense.

[PSUFan]

I think they don't get as much recognition is because back in the mid-40s, professional football wasn't that popular. College football was what mattered in those days. On the other hand, baseball was Americas game, and it dwarfed every other sport in terms of fan interest, So those football players really came on under the national radar, because not many were paying that much attention. But Jackie Robinson's barrier-breaking was far more newsworthy, and historic because it was played out on a national stage. Much like Jesse Owens winning gold medals in Berlin, the context of the feat was far more intense.


You are correct, but it still doesn't change the fact that Robinson is credited with breaking the color barrier when in fact it was done a year prior to his emnergence as a Brooklyn Dodger. All I'm saying is that with the way Football has become vastly superior to baseball in the publics eye, we should make it a point to give the proper credit where it is due.

[HellYeahHokie]

I think we are giving proper credit.

The fact is, when Robinson broke the color barrier, it changed everything in this country. When those football players did, it didn't change America. That's why he's being celebrated. Not just because he was the first, but because the impact of his being first was so monumental.

[Blue Hen]

I think Branch Rickey needs to be celebrated and recognized more than he is . He provided the opportunity and engineered the whole Jackie Robinson thing.

[ZOOMBAG]

Football was a minor sport back then. Throughout the first half of the 20th century and even into the early 60's, America had two major sports, baseball and boxing. Football didn't become big until well into the '60's. Relatively speaking, nobody really cared about the NFL in the 1940's, thus it's players were not that well known.